Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State on Sunday donated 47 new pickup vehicles to security agencies in the state as the government’s assistance to counter terrorism in the area.

Yari, who handed over the vehicles to the Minister of Defence in Gusau, said the state government released the vehicles to the security agencies, following recent pressure by armed bandits on communities in the state.

He said 10 of the remaining vehicles were for the 223 Light Tank Battalion, three for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and 15 for the Joint Operation of the Army, the Police, NSCDC and the Department of State Security, among others.

Receiving keys to the vehicles Yari, the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mansur Dan-Ali thanked the state government for the assistance and assured that the vehicles would be immediately deployed for the intended purposes.

The Minister urged other state governments to emulate the gesture.

He said: “This is the kind of partnership we are talking about because the Federal Government cannot do it alone without all hands coming on deck.”

The Minister said that the Federal Government had established three more military units in the state and army division in Sokoto to handle security issues that might arise in Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara States.

He was accompanied to the state by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar and Air Vice-Marshal Ismaila, Kaita, Officer Commanding Special Operations Command, Nigerian Air Force. (NAN)