President Muhammadu Buhari has declared Zamfara State a no-fly zone as part of measures to check illegal mining and curtail banditry.
Mr Buhari gave the directive on Tuesday at a meeting of the National Security Council at the presidential villa, Abuja.
Briefing the State House correspondents, the National Security Adviser, NSA, Babagana Monguno, said the President also ordered a ban on illegal mining in the state.
According to him, all non-state actors have been placed under surveillance, saying the Federal Government will not hesitate to use kinetic means to restore normalcy in the country.
He also said defence and intelligence organisation have been charged not to allow the country to slide into anarchy.
Mr Muguno also said the president charged the new service chiefs to reclaim all areas in control by bandits, insurgents and kidnappers.
“We are not going to be blackmailed. The government has the responsibility to assert its will.
“Citizens can reside wherever they want to reside. Anybody who is a criminal should be brought to book.
“The president has also warned against ethnic profiling. We have had enough of chaos. Any individual that thinks he can cause disunity, should have a rethink,” Mr Monguno said.
