Governor Bello Mohammed Matawallen Maradun has reaffirmed that his decision to negotiate with the bandits is the best option to ensuring lasting peace in Zamfara State
In a statement by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Public Enlightenment Media and Communication Malam Zailani Bappa reads that, the Governor has no regret taking the path of negotiation with those bandits that are willing to surrender for peace.
Bappa said “Governor Matawalle made this essertion in the wake of opinions being expressed as to the efficacy of the method in solving the lingering peace challenges in the North-West”.
“We appllied the peace accord as a means of honest solution to the problem in Zamfara state which has yielded tremendous result never expected in the last one year”, Matawalle observed.
He noted that despite presence of heavy military and tireless effort to rid the bandits out of the state killings and maiming are still ongoing in the state a situation that calls for stick and carrot approach.
“However, our honesty and focus in the deal saw the near total drop in banditry attacks which allowed our roads, markets, schools and farms to be re-opened. In the same vein, nearly 1000 persons were willingly released by the ex-bandits and thousands of dangerous weapons willingly surrendered without payment of a single kobo as ransom”, Matawalle said.
He said the peace accord initiated by his administration has achieved in his first three months more than what its absence has achieved in eight years.
Governor Matawalle further noted that, there is a clear distinction between the peace accird entered in to by the immediate past administration and even elsewhere and what is obtainable under his watch adding that his is holding positive result.
“We categorically made it clear that money was not part of the negotiations. Everyone must come to the table with honesty and genuine intention to end the carnage in our state. Nobody was enjoying the trend, including the so-called bandits”, the Governor noted.
Matawalle therefore, believes that the method applied by his administration in the pursuit of peace is still the best where those who agree to the peace (who are the majority) will be pardoned to live a normal life while those who refuse (who are minority) will face the wrath of our security operatives.
