The Zamfara state government has flagged off the training of newly recruited Community Protection Guards (CPG).

The CPG were recruited in each of the 19 Emirate Councils of the state

Speaking at the event on Saturday, Governor Bello Matawalle said his administration is committed to implementing additional security measures to combat insurgency in the state.

On the decision to establish the CPG, he said it was informed by his administration's desire to work out all possible options to deal with the increasing act of banditry causing loss of lives, untold hardship and rupturing intercommunal peace in some parts of the state.

Matawalle informed the CPG of the task ahead of them, and urged them to concentrate fully on their training.

"As community protection guards, yours is a patriotic call, your names would stand out in history as people with remarkable patriotism, selflessness and love for peace, only people with courage and bravery will offer to serve as guards of their communities, bravely standing up to face the brutal infamy of the bandits," he said.

He urged them to work within the parameters of the rules of engagement which he said would be clearly spelt out during the training,

Zamfara authorities recently asked residents to arm themselves against bandits.

The state has recorded numerous attacks in the ongoing banditry ravaging the North West region, while many attempts to placate the bandits have failed.

The government had entered into a phantom peace deal with the gangs and reportedly paid huge ransoms when students were abducted from classrooms, but the attacks continued.