From Ahmad Ibrahim, Gusau
The Zamfara State Government has disclosed its firm stance against negotiating with any group of bandits in the state.
Addressing newsmen on Thursday, in Gusau, the state capital, Secretary to Zamfara State Government, Mallam Abubakar Nakwada. who was reacting to what he termed a “fabricated, fake and mischievous report” published in one of the national daily newspapers, said the present administration of Governor Dauda Lawal is committed to transparency and accountability.
He said, “We still maintain the position that we will not negotiate with terrorists.
“I address yet another false information in circulation alleging that the Zamfara state government gave or is planning to give some notorious bandits and media influencers some huge amount of money under the guise of reconciliation efforts from the ‘State Security Trust Fund.’
“Ordinarily, we should have ignored this, like we have ignored many other fabricated lies aimed at distracting this government from its commitment to rescuing and rebuilding Zamfara state. But due to the sensitivity of the security which remains one of the priorities of this administration, we are compelled to make some clarifications.
“To set the records straight, the purported memo allegedly said to have originated from my office to the Executive Governor is entirely fake and mischievous.
“The Zamfara State Governme,nt under Governor Dauda Law, has consistently announced its firm stance against negotiating with the bandit terrorists. We still maintain the position that we will not negotiate with terrorists.
“Our administration has been unequivocal in its approach to addressing the security challenges facing our state. We have implemented strategic measures to combat the menace of banditry, and our efforts have always been guided by integrity, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of our people.
“The fabricated document and the baseless claims it contains are not only distracting but also attempt to erode the trust and confidence that the people of Zamfara have in our leadership and our efforts to restore peace and order.
“It is essential to address these falsehoods head-on to ensure that our people are not misled by those who wish to destabilise our progress.
“You may recall that the previous administrations have tried dialogue with bandits and it did not succeed. Unfortunately, it not only failed but also complicated the problem by empowering these terrorists to become more dangerous, ng which is backfiring today.
“How can we continue to repeat the same thing and expect different results? That is absurd, rd to say the least! We believe that this fake memo is part of the sinister attempts to undermine what we are making towards achieving lasting peace and security across the lengths and breadths of the state.
“We are committed to transparency and accountability, and we will continue to keep the public informed about our strategies and progress in the fight against banditry.
“To achieve this, our administration under the able leadership of Governor Lawal has established the Security Trust Fund to demobilising the necessary resources to strengthen the security architecture and provide the required support to our security forces to effectively prosecute the fight against banditry and related crimes across the state.
“We have also introduced Community Protection Guards known as Askarawa to assist the conventional security forces in the fight against banditry.
“Also, we have been collaborating and sharing intelligence with all security establishments, ts including law enforcement agencies in the state, te to prosecute this fight.”