From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, yesterday, said banditry would not end soon in his state because of its masterminds.
He made this disclosure after he met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja.
He told State House Correspondents that despite effort by those fuelling terrorism, there would be a marked improvement in the security situation in the state by this week
He hinged his confidence on the president’s determination to strengthen security activities that would bring changes in the situation by tomorrow.
He said his government was investigating those who may be collaborating with terrorists with a view to fishing them out. He also said contrary to reports that over 200 persons were killed in recent attacks in Bukuyyum and Anka area, just 58 persons were victims.
Asked what could be done to bring permanent solution to insecurity in Zamfara, he said: “Well, you know when I assumed duty as governor, I used so many options to bring this insecurity to a minimal level. First of all, I initiated dialogue and reconciliation between herders and farmers and during that dialogue, we spent more than nine months without any crisis in Zamfara State. It worked.
“But unfortunately, people use politics, because they have collaborators, of course. So, they went back to those bandits, telling them that the government is not serious about this dialogue, that we did not give them anything. So, the bandits decided to go back to their normal businesses. That’s why I backed out from the reconciliation programme. But definitely, it worked for over nine months.
“So, after I realised that some of them had backed out of this dialogue, I cut off the programme. I then initiated the cutting off of communications and some logistics that used to go to the bandits from August 2011 to December 2011. And it worked too. But sometimes those collaborators who are usually happy with what is happening, who are even jubilating if people are being killed, they went back and started again, saying that the government is not serious and instigating some of the public. In fact, they even dragged me to court.
“So you see with the kind of people we have in Zamfara State, I don’t think this issue of banditry will end very soon because, already, some people are behind it. Some people are using it. And all they need is at least to show Nigerians that both the federal and Zamfara state governments are not serious on the issue of insecurity, despite that some of them are involved in the crisis. But we’re doing our best.”
