Zamfar - Friday 2, April 2021: Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, has explained the reason his government chooses to negotiate with the bandits terrorising the state.

The governor, through the Commissioner of Information, Hon. Ibrahim Magaji Dosara at a briefing in Kaduna on Friday, revealed that his government chose the peace path with the bandits to put an end the reckless killings of innocent citizens’ lives and destruction of property.

Matawalle disclosed that ‘there are almost 30,000 bandits in 100 camps spread across the forests of Zamfara and five of its neighbouring states.

‘The bandits had killed 2,619 people, kidnapped 1,190 others and collected over N970 million ransoms between 2011 and 2019 in Zamfara alone.’

The governor, however, noted that the dialogue with the bandits produced certain results.

He said “As a result of the dialogue and peace process, over 62 bandits accepted and embraced the peace initiative.

“This is in addition to the release of over 2000 kidnapped victims aided and abetted by the repentant bandits.

“The repentant bandits are also helping in campaigning and convincing those bandits yet to accept the dialogue and reconciliation process to do so.

“They are also helping in the identification of the leaders of the recalcitrant bandits, including their camps and location for dialogue and reconciliation.”