- As Military onslaughts persist in Zamfara
Angered by their initial intransigence, the Zamfara State government has rejected a peace dialogue being proposed by armed bandits in the North West state.
According to Governor Bello Matawalle, his administration is no longer interested in having dialogue with bandits given their earlier rejection of the olive branch extended to them by the State government.
Governor Matawalle said the sustained military offensive has now forced armed bandits to seek peaceful engagement, even as he disclosed that the joint security operation is going on smoothly in flushing out criminal gangs from the state.
He said emissaries from the bandits’ camp had indicated that they were now ready to dialogue with the government having repented from their criminal and evil ways.
Also, the governor said due to new security measures introduced by the state government, some notorious bandits are now running out of Zamfara to other states of the Federation.
Governor Matawalle said; “My administration will no longer grant amnesty to bandits as they have failed to embrace the peace initiative earlier extended to them.’’
However, he warned politicians against supporting the bandits in any form, stressing that; “politicians should fear God and stop buying motorcycles to distribute to people who, in turn, sell to bandits to perpetuate their evil acts.’’
The governor also promised that the State government was determined prosecute any politician caught in the act as part of efforts to rid the state of crimes and criminality.
The Special Taskforce was established by the Governor Matawalle to enforce measures aimed at effectively addressing the lingering security challenges of mass kidnapping for ransom and cattle rustling in the state.
Also, on August 26, 2021, the governor signed an Executive Order suspending all weekly markets in Zamfara; banned bicycles and motorcycles from carrying more than one passenger and not more than three passengers in the case of tricycles.
Similarly, the state government had established a Special Taskforce to ensure full compliance with the order while mobile courts were set up to prosecute violators.
For now, commercial activities in the state have been halted following the two weeks suspension of telecommunication networks in the state by the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC).
In the same vein, all banking services, mobile telephone services, internet and other related services have also been suspended.
Governor Matawalle pleaded with the State’s residents to be patient and support all the new security measures currently in place to flush out bandits and their collaborators towards restoring peace in the state.
