Peace Agreement, Reconciliation Best Options To End Banditry — Matawalle Tells FG

Bello Mohammed Matawalle, the governor of Zamfara State, has stated that numerous towns and villages in the state were completely controlled by bandits before he assumed office.

When he came into office, the Governor stated he conducted various consultations and discovered that a peace agreement and reconciliation with the bandits would be the best option.

He asked the Federal Government, on the other hand, to consider using peace and reconciliation as the best way to eliminate the current banditry.

This was stated in a state-wide broadcast to the citizens about the outcome of the larger security meeting that took place on Monday.

According to Matawalle, discussion is the best choice for resolving crises and misunderstandings between conflicting factions.

He went on to say that “dialogue and reconciliation have always been used in resolving crises and ending wars.”

According to him, bandits terrorized the state for ten years before this administration’s arrival.

He continued, “It was on record that several towns and villages were under the watch of the bandits.”

He explained that during the previous government, bandits’ operations resulted in the closure of several weekly markets around the state.

“As soon as I assumed leadership of the state, a peace reconciliation initiative was initiated by the state government between the bandits and local vigilantes group,” he stated.

Governor Matawalle stated that the peace and reconciliation project had resulted in nine months of relative peace in the state.

Various wars, whether religious or tribal, he claims, have typically ended via peace and reconciliation rather than gun battles.

He, on the other hand, blamed the rise of banditry on the politicization of the state’s anti-banditry campaign.

“We have no doubt that we have recorded huge successes in the peace and reconciliation initiative, a situation that poses a threat to some unscrupulous politicians”, he added.

Matawalle stated that peace discussion was the best option for ending the current banditry, and that the state government will continue to engage the bandits in negotiation.

He reaffirmed his demand for the federal government to adopt the bandit peace discussion initiative as the best option for ending banditry.