The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has levied allegations against the Zamfara State government, asserting that they have engaged in the politicization of security matters.
Governor Lawal sought clarity of a covert interaction between federal government operatives and bandits, prompting the following response.
According to a statement released by the spokesperson for the Governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the state government has concrete information that implicates certain federal government agents in conversations with bandits in Zamfara State.
He contended that it would have been prudent for the Minister of Information to do a comprehensive inquiry before to undermining the credibility of the Zamfara State government.
The statement was divided into sections, with the first part expressing the intention to seek clarification from the federal government. The clarification was specifically related to the clandestine conversations conducted by certain agents of the federal government with bandits. Notably, these negotiations were conducted without involving the State Government and the chiefs of security agencies in the state.
There exists factual information and evidence regarding the interactions between federal government agents and the bandits during negotiations that took place in several locations throughout Zamfara.
The lack of verification by the information minister before discrediting our claim is a source of disappointment. The professional is expected to engage in collaboration with pertinent authorities in order to establish the credibility of the claim.
The Zamfara State Government demonstrates deference to etiquette and established authority. The disclosure of the identities of Federal Government operatives engaged in covert negotiations with bandits would not be publicly disseminated through media channels.
It is imperative to emphasize that the persons who are engaging in covert conversations with bandits in Zamfara are, in fact, politicizing the issue of insecurity. It is crucial to note that this politicization is not being carried out by the State Government.
Additional clarity is needed regarding the statement made by the Information Minister, which asserts the absence of any conversations between government officials and bandits in Zamfara. Several localities have been identified where negotiations with bandits have taken place, including Birnin Magaji, Maradun, Mun Haye, Ajah, Bawo, and Bagege.
Engaging in negotiations with bandits in Zamfara State would be a significant error that we cannot afford to do. The proposed approach does not offer a viable resolution to the issue at hand, instead serving to incentivize and empower individuals engaged in unlawful activities. It is imperative that the Federal Government adopt a resolute position in opposition to these activities and undertake a thorough examination of the underlying motivations driving individuals involved in such actions.