We have noticed the desperation to drag Zamfara State and it’s governor Bello Matawalle into the politicisation of banditry despite the governor’s determination to end the ill.
A succession of reports in the media is either blaming the governor for what he knows nothing about or trivialising his proactive move to nip banditry in the bud.
A report published recently by an online medium tried unconvincingly to link the conversation between a local government Chairman in a neighbouring State and a bandits over the ransom paid for the release of the 300 shoool boys in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.
For the umpteenth time Governor Bello Matawalle did not pay a dime as ransom to anybody as he made it known that patriotism to the nation and a fatherly love made him reach out to the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and some repentant bandits who help secure the release of the boys.
So, it is shocking to see Gov Bello Mattawalle been linked to a conversation between (Haro Musa Mota) a former caretaker Chairman of Jibia LG who is an APC Chieftain in Katsina State and (Awulu) a bandit, where a ransom he knows nothing about is discussed.
His role in securing the release of the school boys is well documented and no ransom was paid to anybody as he will never indulge anybody in the act of banditry rather he has been reaching out to them through his carrot and stick approach to reintegrate the repentant bandits into the society.
Since the spokesperson of the ruling party Yekeen Nabena made the unfounded accusations about a North west governor responsible for banditry in the region, we have seen co-ordinated media attacks on the governor by faceless sources who are either accusing the governor of providing vehicle for bandits or shielding them. All these are not unconnected to the politics of which party runs the state as the mudslinging at Governor Mattawale is to rubbish the dexterous way he has handled insecurity in Zamfara State to the envy of his political opponents.
Those who blame the governor for insecurity in the state covertly exonerate the Federal Government or the states in the North West that belongs to the ruling party.
For instance another faceless source in one of your report was quoted to have said Zamfara and Sokoto State government officials are providing bandits with information with witch they strike and evade arrest by military.
How on earth will a government of the people join forces with bandits to torment the people it is meant to protect, how is that possible and to think that the two states mentioned in the report are governed by the opposition -the People Democratic Party (PDP), that reeks of a hatchet job.
The Zamfara State government will continue to protect lives and properties in the state and no amount of propaganda will deter the government from its mission to see that the state is rid off insecurity.
