Ahmed Attahir, Gusau
Governor Bello Mattawale of zamfara state has issued a two months ultimatum to unrepentant bandits to key into peace Dialogue as federal government set to deploy additional six thousand troops to the state.
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday evening during a statewide broadcast at Government house Gusau,the governor insisted that activities of informants are becoming worrisome in the state.
He said the sad episode of jangebe school girls abduction has shook the people of Zamfara State Nigerians, and the entire world.
“It brought to the global attention the type of security challenges our state and many others in the north are battling with and the urgent need to take further steps to deal with the situation comprehensively”.
“We have already secured the release of all the 279 abducted students, hale and hearty. They have all been reunited with members of their families”
“As a fall out of my discussion with President Muhammadu Buhari and security high commands in Abuja, it was resolved that six thousand additional troops are to be deployed to the state to complement the current efforts by the security forces in the state”.
He revealed that the troops will soon arrive the state for their operations.
He further explained that Zamfara State has been declared by the national security council as a “no-fly zone” in addition to banning all mining activities in the state.
“Again, the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, has agreed to a timeframe within which the recalcitrant bandits should accept peace truce and surrender their weapons to the government”.
The governor maintained that the peace initiative of his administration has recorded a number of successes which include disarmament and recovery of weapons from the repentant bandits, securing the release of hundreds of kidnapped persons, opening of markets, and resumption of other economic activities across the state, and reducing the wave of attacks and killings of our innocent people, most especially in the rural communities.
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“Even though we are enjoying relative peace as a result of the dialogue and reconciliation programme, many bandits have refused to key into the programme and elected to sustain their attacks and other nefarious activities against our communities”
“Government has equally observed that there is sabotage by some unscrupulous elements, both within and outside the state.”
He said It was also observed that informants are becoming rampant and their callous activities undetected due to some people’s attitude of indifference.
“As a further push to bring to an end the activities of the recalcitrant bandits so as to bring lasting peace to the state, the government has decided to take the following measures:
The recalcitrant bandits have been given two months from today within which to embrace the peace process and surrender their weapons to the government;
“All political actors are hereby advised to desist from any acts capable of endangering the state’s security, as security agencies have been directed to monitor the activities of all the political actors and take appropriate action against the violators”
“Traditional rulers and Local Government Councils’ sole administrators are hereby directed to always remain in their respective domains to monitor the influx of any suspicious characters.
“Conveyance of more than two persons on a motorbike is hereby banned with immediate effect. Security agents are directed to arrest and arraign the violators of this order for prosecution.
“Government also prohibits the movements of a large number of motorbikes in all the nooks and crannies of the state. Security forces are hereby directed to ensure total compliance.
“Government observed, with dismay, the persistence of the activities of some yansakai, despite the banning of such vigilante groups. This order still remains in force”
