The Zamfara state Governor, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle, has disclosed to newsmen that 2619 persons were killed, 1619 kidnapped and N970m paid as ransom from 2011 to 2019 in 6 northern states.
Adducing reasons for his approach to the menace, he told journalist Friday in Kaduna that with about 6000 troops in Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, Sokoto, and Kebbi to face over 30,ooo bandits, the troops were clearly outnumbered. He therefore thought it wise to find an enduring solution to the security situation in his state which is why he decided to dialogue with them.
Stressing the seriousness of the situation, the governor who spoke through his Commissioner of Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Magaji Dosara, added that over the same period,14,378 animals were rustled while about 100,000 people had been displaced. He added that there were over100 bandit camps with no fewer than 300 bandits in each of the camps armed with sophisticated weapons.
According to him, before the coming of Dr. Bello Matawalle aas Governor in May 2019, Zamfara people were in a devastated state of dilemma and fear, due to the ravaging rural banditry.
“With the coming of Governor Bello Matawalle, drastic measures were put in place to control the situation. The peace and reconciliation process undertaken by the government has yielded positive results.
“Now, which is the best option for the governor? Watch his people being killed or go for dialogue and continue to use the repentant bandits to convince the recalcitrant ones to save the lives of the people?