Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State on Tuesday asserted that the Zamfara State Government has substantial evidence to reveal the involvement of federal government agents in secret negotiations with bandits.
The governor, who had consistently opposed the idea of negotiating with bandits, previously expressed concerns that the Federal Government was engaged in clandestine talks with these criminal groups.
In response, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, accused the Zamfara Government of politicizing security matters.
However, in a statement released on his behalf by Sulaiman Bala Idris, his spokesman, Governor Lawal affirmed that he possesses evidence exposing federal government agents who participated in negotiations with bandits in Zamfara.
He also noted that the Information Minister should have conducted a thorough investigation before discrediting the State Government’s claims.
The statement emphasized, “We sought clarification from the Federal Government regarding the sneaky negotiations with bandits carried out by some of its agents without recourse to the State Government and heads of Security agencies in the State.”
It continued, “We have facts and evidence on what had transpired between these agents of the Federal Government and the bandits during the negotiations in several places across Zamfara.”
The governor expressed disappointment that the Information Minister discredited their claim without first verifying it.
He called for a professional approach, stating, “What is expected of him as a professional is to collaborate with relevant authorities to substantiate the claim’s authenticity.”
Governor Lawal maintained that the individuals leading these negotiations are politicizing the issue of insecurity, not the State Government.
He urged the Federal Government to take a firm stance against such activities and investigate the motives of those involved.
