Zamfara Gov. gives bandits two month ultimatum to surrender
By Modupe Shodeinde
Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, has issued a two-month ultimatum for bandits to surrender their weapons and embrace the state’s peace process.
Matawalle in a broadcast on Tuesday, also listed other steps his government will take to tackle insecurity in Zamfara.
He said, “As a fall out of my discussion with President Muhammadu Buhari and security high commands in Abuja, it was resolved that 6,000 additional troops are to be deployed to the state to complement the current efforts by the security forces. The troops will soon arrive in the state for their operations,” he said.
“Again, the president has agreed to a timeframe within which the recalcitrant bandits should accept our peace truce and surrender their weapons to the government.
“Even though we are enjoying relative peace as a result of the dialogue and reconciliation programme, many bandits have refused to key into the programme and elected to sustain their attacks and other nefarious activities against our communities.
“Government has equally observed that there is sabotage by some unscrupulous elements, both within and outside the state. It is also observed that informants are becoming rampant and their callous activities undetected due to some of our people’s attitude of indifference.
“As a further push to bring to an end the activities of the recalcitrant bandits so as to bring lasting peace to the state, the recalcitrant bandits have been given two months from today within which to embrace the peace process and surrender their weapons to the government.”
The governor further warned “political actors” against compromising the security of the state, and directed traditional rulers and sole administrators of local government councils to “always remain in their respective domains to monitor the influx of any suspicious characters”.
Also, the conveyance of of more than one person on a motorbike and movement of motorcycles in large numbers has been banned with immediate effect in the state.
Matawalle said security agents have been directed to arrest and arraign the violators of this order for prosecution.
Social media handlers were also warned against spreading fake news as the government “will no longer tolerate such unethical conduct and will deal decisively with anyone found in this act”.
