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Why I Stopped Negotiating With Bandits – Matawalle

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Zamfara Govt Uncovers 199 Ghost Doctors, Only 81 Genuine On Payroll

Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle has explained why his administration stopped negotiating with bandits.

Matawalle said that the bandits did not honour a peace agreement.

Matawalle on Thursday told reporters at the State House, Abuja, after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, that relative peace had returned to the state.

According to him, the state government had been steadfast in the fight against banditry and that the people were seeing results.

Among other measures, telecommunication operations were shut down in the state.

Asked whether dialogue was no longer an option, Matawalle said: “They have deceived us. Some of them did not follow what we agreed with them.

READ ALSO: Terrorists, Bandits Take Over Forest Reserves, National Parks

“We thought it was something we could continue with them, but we later realised that they had deceived us.

“So, we had to back out of it and decide to fight them to a logical conclusion.

“As you know, we are there fighting and we have taken a lot of measures in order to curtail this problem of insurgency and we thank God it’s yielding a lot of results. We’ve recorded a lot of successes from what we have done.

“As you are aware, we have a lot of security personnel that were deployed to Zamfara State and they are working seriously.”

He believes the state is “calm and people are going on with their day-to-day activities”.

He added: “We have imposed a lot of measures and the people are happy with the measures because the people have suffered a lot.

“People were being killed and kidnapped every day, but today we have succeeded, we don’t have much of such issues in Zamfara State.”

Also yesterday, a 10-year research by a lecturer at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Dr. Murtala Ahmed Rufa’i, revealed that over 120 bandits groups were terrorising Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kabbi, Kaduna and Niger.

The report says each group possessed no less than 500 AK-47 and AK-49 rifles.

The research report titled; ‘I Am A Bandit’ says the gangs had in the last 10years killed over 12,000 people and stolen about 250,000 livestock.

Rufa’i, a history lecturer, who presented the paper at the 15th Usmanu Danfodiyo University Seminar said, some of the gangs like those of Gide, Mai-Taguwa and Turji own sophisticated weapons like RPGS and anti-aircraft weapons.

Tracing the origin of banditry in Zamfara to 2011, the don said the crime started as a traditional farmer-herder conflict or insignificant rural unrest, transforming into full-blown conflict, engulfing most parts of the Northwest.

He said: “The first criminal gang was formed by Kundu and Buharin Daji. It grew from a single cell, mainly in operation in Zamfara in 2011, to over one hundred and twenty (120) gangs across six states in 2021.

READ ALSO: Bandits Terrorising Nigeria Are Fulani Herdsmen- Masari

“These gangs are basically associated with mass killing of innocent people, cattle rustling, kidnapping, gender-based and sexual violence (GBSV) and other related human rights abuses.”

“At the beginning, they lived in the woods and mountainous areas, from where they unleashed terror on the rural and urban areas in the states.

“Some of the bandits have become very daring to the extent of operating from their respective villages.

“Approximately, over 10,000 armed bandits are operating across different parts of Zamfara state.

“These gangs have so far killed over 12,000 people and stole about 250,000 livestock from 2011 to 202

“About 120 villages were destroyed while 50,000 people were either internally displaced or made refugees in the neighbouring Niger Republic.”

 

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BREAKING: Abacha’s Ex-chief Of Staff Oladipo Diya Dies

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Diya

Retired Lt.General Donaldson Oladipo Oyeyinka Diya, the former Chief of Staff in General Sani Abacha’s military government, is dead.

His death was confirmed by Prince Oyesinmilola Diya. He said the former military administrator of Ogun State passed on to glory in the early hours of 26th March 2023.

Born on the 3rd of April, 1944, Diya was military Governor of Ogun State after the Buhari-Idiagbon coup of December 31st, 1983.

Diya joined the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna and fought during the Nigerian Civil War.

He later attended the US Army School of Infantry, the Command and Staff College, Jaji (1980–1981) and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru.

While serving in the military, Diya studied law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he obtained an LLB degree, and then at the Nigerian Law School, where he was called to bar as Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

He held other top military posts like GOC, 82 Division and finally the Chief of General Staff (military Vice President) to Gen Sani Abacha

The statement read: “On behalf of the entire Diya family home and abroad; we announce the passing on to Glory of our dear Husband,Father, Grandfather,brother, Lt- General Donaldson Oladipo Oyeyinka Diya (Rtd) GCON, LLB, BL, PSC, FSS, mni.

“Our dear Daddy passed onto glory in the early hours of 26th March 2023. Please keep us in your prayers as we mourn his demise in this period. Further announcements will be made public in due course.

“Barrister Prince Oyesinmilola Diya, on behalf of the family.”

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Breaking: Appeal Court Retains Adeleke As Osun Governor

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BREAKING: Adeleke Freezes Osun Accounts , Reverses Appointments After Swearing In As Governor
Governor Adeleke

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has vacated the tribunal judgement that nullified the election of Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State.

The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of Justices, on Friday held that the appeal Adeleke lodged to challenge his sack by the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, was meritorious.

Aside from setting aside the judgement of the tribunal, the court, in its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Mohammed Lawal, awarded N500, 000 cost against the All Progressive Congress, APC, and its candidate, Gboyega Oyetola

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BREAKING: PDP Suspends Anyim, Fayose

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Anyim and Fayose

Former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose; former president of the Senate, Pius Anyim; Prof Dennis Ityavyar and Aslam Aliyu were on Thursday suspended from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

The PDP made the suspension on Thursday after an extensive review of the affairs of the party, pursuant to the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).

The PDP also referred the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, to the National Disciplinary Committee over his reported involvement in anti-party activities.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.

“The PDP urges all leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our party across the country to remain united and focused at this critical time,” the statement added.

 

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