Zamfara: Bandits have rejected peace, we’ll give them war – Gov Matawalle

Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has vowed to clamp down on bandits terrorizing some parts of the state, saying the have rejected the peace hitherto extended to them.

He stated this while addressing a congregation in Gusau, the state capital on Saturday.

“My administration will no longer grant amnesty to bandits as they have failed to embrace the peace initiative earlier extended to them,’’ the governor said.

The governor called on all residents to be patient and to support new security measures put in place to flush out bandits and other criminal elements across the state.

According to the governor, the current barrage of attacks on bandits by security forces had made them make a fresh overture to the government seeking dialogue stressing that the time for amnesty has passed.

He revealed that the bloodthirsty bandits’ emissaries informed him that they had repented and were ready to dialogue with the government.

The governor noted that some of the bandits were running out of Zamfara to other states as a result of the new security measures introduced by the state government following the recent surge in killings and abduction of citizens.

Governor Matawalle warned politicians in the state against giving any form of support to bandits, 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.’’

It can be recalled that Zamfara had cut off food, petroleum products supply and other essential commodities from the reach of the bandits in their various camps as security operatives sustain offensive against the assailants.