Politics
Repentant bandits given hilux, millions of naira in Zamfara
Repentant bandits in Zamafara have been rewarded with cars and cash by the Governor.
The Governor of Zamfara state, Bello Muhammad Matawalle gave about 15 brand new Hilux vehicles to leaders of different repentant bandits, Sahara reporters report.
The Governor also approved millions of naira to be given to the ‘repentant’ bandits as compensation.
The Zamfara State Government had in 2019 entered a peace agreement with the gunmen.
But despite the accord, communities in the state are still being attacked and residents kidnapped and/or killed.
A top military officer told SaharaReporters that the bandits now carry out attacks with some of the vehicles given to them by Matawalle.
The officer said,
“Those bandits have different group, so if they say they repent, the governor will give them a Hilux vehicle but unfortunately they are now using the vehicles to carry out attacks.
“On Sunday, they attacked Jankara but were resisted by the local vigilantes, so they fled and left one of those Hilux vehicles and the motorcycles they came with behind.
“It’s so sad, he called it peace and reconciliation programme, but all you need to be rich now in Zamfara is to take up arms against the people.”
Zamfara, like other North-West states, has in the last 10 years faced devastating attacks from armed bandits.
A committee set up to investigate the menace of armed banditry in the region, headed by Mohammed Abubakar, a former Inspector General of Police, reported that in Zamfara State between June 2011 and May 2019, 4,983 women were widowed; 25,050 children were orphaned; and more than 190,000 people were displaced as a result of armed banditry.
Last year, Governor Aminu Masari, Matawalle’s counterpart in Katsina State, said his administration had to pull out of the peace deal it had with bandits that had been terrorising residents of the state.
Masari said despite the peace deal, the gunmen continued to carry out attacks with their accomplices from Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger Republic, leading to “indiscriminate killings” and kidnappings in the state.
He said,
“The armed bandits have betrayed our trust in them, following a peace agreement earlier negotiated with them, in our quest to find a lasting peace in the state,” he was quoted as saying.
“We chose dialogue for peaceful coexistence in the state and we have done our best; yet, the attacks continue.
“As a result of the peace agreement, the government banned vigilance groups and identified cattle routes and facilitated free movements of bandits to convey their livestock to the markets.”
-
Entertainment22 hours ago
Nigerian-American singer Shaboozey displaces Beyoncé on Billboard chart
-
Entertainment12 hours ago
[ICYMI]: Fashola’s daughter ties knot with her partner
-
Crime10 hours ago
Police nab 10 organ harvesting suspects in Lagos
-
Education9 hours ago
30 Kwara catholic school students score above 300 in JAMB UTME
-
News12 hours ago
[ICYMI] Only 21% Nigerian households are food secure – Report
-
News8 hours ago
Delta caterer dies after bestie pushed her into boiling stew
-
Entertainment9 hours ago
UK global magazine ‘Reader’s Digest’ folds after 86 years
-
Entertainment9 hours ago
Teni’s clapback: I sponsor 20 private uni students, 10 in secondary school