The report said the actions of the governor amounted to treating the bandits with kid gloves which is why they continued with their wrath on innocent citizens unabated
For those who are abreast and in deep knowledge of the problems facing Zamfara state in terms of banditry, we need not to respond to this ignorance-based accusation. However, for the larger audience who do not know and might easily be swayed by this cheap and malicious accusation,, the records need to be publicly put straight.
Bandits have been on the prowl in Zamfara State for more than eight years before Dr Bello Mohammed took over power in 2019. That year, however, was the peak of its disaster as nothing ordinarily was working in the state at that time. Schools were a no-go area, farmers could not go to farm, all markets were closed, most roads were closed and the few plyable ones were as dangerous as the lion’s den.
Governor Bello Mohammed, in his own wisdom, had to question himself that if the security operatives were working for eight years and the problem kept escalating, there was the need to look for solution outside the box. Hence, his administration decided to reach out to the bandits and had an honest dialogue with them. This was done with the tacit support and encouragement of the Military and the Police.
The bandits agreed to the dialogue and made their demands while the Government also made its demands. The fall out was the initiation of building three RUGA settlements for the Fulani, among other things, in the state while the bandits on their part, layed down their arms.
For a period of more than one year,peace reigned in the state. All roads and markets were re-opened, children went back to school and farmers went back to farm. No fewer than 3,000 abducted citizens were released without ransom and more that a thousand dangerous guns were surrendered by the bandits within this period.
We were clearly on the path of ending banditry when retrogressive factors began to wind the hands of the clock of progress, up to the time when the Federal Government decided to lay a blanket rule against any peace process with bandits across the country.
It is unfortunate if HURIWA could not be responsible enough to visit Zamfara state to feel the pulse of the people and take away genuine hard facts about the peace process in the state but decided from their posh of their offices, far away from the theater, reel out unfounded and misleading accusations against the state Government.
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