The Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle on Sunday sworn by the Quran averring that he has no connection with bandits.
The governor did this while receiving an award conferred on him by the Centre for Quranic Reciter, Nigeria, on Sunday.
Matawalle while calling on the people of Zamfara to swear too, that they had no connection with bandits terrorising the state, he said “As I have been mentioning, the issue of insecurity is not just for the federal government, governor or other security agencies. The issue of insecurity is for all of us, and we should not politicise it”.
“I have sworn with the Holy Quran that if I know, or if I am part of, or I know anybody who is coordinating this banditry, or with my hand or any of my family, may Allah not give me in this life.
“I dare all the people from Zamfara State, from our father, Aliyu Gusau to Yarima Bakura and all the cabinet members, right from the inception of the political dispensation of the state, to take this oath as I did.”
He reiterated that the oath would restore confidence in the residents of the state, making it easy for them to identify those behind insecurity and ensure peace was restored to the state.
He said as a chief security officer of the state, he would do everything possible to provide a secure and peaceful environment.
He added that it was important for residents to be able to go about their lawful business without fear of anyone harming them.
In the face of growing banditry in the North-West, especially in Zamfara State, the deputy spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Yekini Nabena recently alleged that a governor from the North-West was the one sponsoring armed bandits in the northern region.
The allegation angered Matawalle who claimed that the APC was indirectly referring to him. He swiftly denied the allegation, saying he found it insulting just as he lambasted the ruling party.
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