IT is now evident that bandits have set their criminal activities on rural dwellers from whom they are snatching huge sums of money and other valuables with maximum ease.
A fresh pattern shows that gun-toting criminals are traversing the highways in the countryside particularly the Great North Road stretching from Chibombo, through Kabwe, Mkushi up to Luapula province in Samfya.
Today, we carry a story of a business executive in Samfya who was robbed of his hard-earned K72,000 while he was at home with his family.
Recently, bandits snatched money from a farmer whom they shot and wounded in Chibombo area before another dastard incident occurred in Kabwe where K100,000 was grabbed from a business executive.
In Mkushi a lone gunman was on the loose for close to four months, attacking patrons in guest houses before police gunned him down during a heavy exchange of fire.
It is clear that the criminals have found easy prey in the outposts which were hitherto safe areas for business executives and residents alike.
In the past, crime was more pronounced on the Copperbelt and Lusaka provinces but the Zambia Police Service scaled up the number of officers in stations that had high incidences of violent crime such as aggravated robbery and murder.
Realising this strategy, the criminals drifted to the countryside and embarked on wanton highway and other forms robberies.
The robbery in Samfya is a sad tale and may thrust the victim, Mushinge Kabaso, into financial woes, considering the huge amount of money he has lost at once.
It is sad indeed that the robbery of such a magnitude took place in a remote area in Katakwa Village on Samfya-Musaila Road in Chief Kasoma Bangweulu’s area where villagers are working hard to sustain their livelihood.
The incident has certainly sent fear among villagers most of whom have no access to capital financing to start an enterprise.
Some years back, the police command extended a general amnesty to people with unregistered or illegally-obtained firearms to surrender them, but it appears the strategy has not yielded the desired result.
There are numerous firearms in wrong hands.
The Zambia police should deploy more officers to the rural areas on permanent basis and establish police stations and posts in strategic areas. This way, patrols will be more effective and result-oriented.
It is also important to resuscitate community policing not only in the outlaying areas, but also in all parts of the country in order to rid the communities of misfits who are terrorising innocent and hard working people.
Neighbourhood and other community security groups should be formed in all areas to make it easy for residents to identify criminal elements masquerading as innocent visitors or business executives.
Members of the community must embrace the Crime Prevention Foundation of Zambia and take part in many other police and security activities.
All Zambians must participate in crime prevention to protect the much-needed investment.
The country has recorded impressive economic progress in critical sectors and this can easily be blighted by criminals who are now on the loose scaring away potential investors. They must be weeded out!
We urge police officers to discharge their duties with utmost commitment and use corresponding force on criminals that are proving to be a menace in society.
In some cases, police officers have been killed and therefore they should maximum force when in danger.