KILLINGS: Matawalle says decision to negotiate with bandits best option to lasting peace 

The governor of Zamfara State, Bello Mohammed Matawalle has no regret he negotiated with bandits to stop killings and kidnappings in the state.

The governor, who negotiated with the criminals, said the decision was “the best option to a lasting peace” to their criminal activities in the state.

Governor Matawalle stated this in a statement signed and released on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media, Alhaji Zailani Baffa.

Baffa quoted the governor to have said, “It is the best option to a lasting peace. Reconciliation with the bandits is still the best option.”

The statement further read, “Matawalle applied the peace accord as a means of honest solution to the constant banditry and kidnappings problems in Zamfara State and the peace accord has yielded a tremendous result that has never been experienced in the last one year.”

Noting that heavy presence of the military and relentless offensives against the criminals was not able to stop the wanton killings and maiming by bandits, the governor’s spokesman said:

“However, our honesty and focus on the reconciliation deal saw the near total drop in bandit attacks which allowed our roads, markets, schools and farms to be reopened.”

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He added that the reconciliation with the bandits saw over one thousand persons released by the ex-bandits and weapons willingly surrendered to the government.

Activities of bandits have led to the death of several Nigerians in the North part of the country, especially the North West.

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