According to Governor Dauda Lawal, the Zamfara State Government has adequate information to identify the federal agents responsible for the covert negotiations with bandits.
The Zamfara State government was charged of politicising security, according to Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation.
In view of Governor Lawal’s request for explanation regarding a covert conversation with bandits arranged by federal government operatives, this was said.
The state administration had concrete proof exposing several federal government agents engaging in conversations with bandits in Zamfara State, according to a statement made by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris.
He continued by saying that the Zamfara State government should have been given a fair chance before the Minister of Information attacked it.
Parts of the statement read as follows: “We requested clarity from the federal government regarding the sly conversations with bandits carried out by some of its agents without consulting the State Government or the chiefs of security agencies in the state.
“We have information and proof of what happened during the conversations in several locations across Zamfara between the federal government’s agents and the bandits.
“It’s regrettable that the information minister dismissed our assertion without first checking it. It is expected of him as a professional to work with the appropriate agencies to support the validity of the claim.
“The Zamfara State Government adheres to convention and recognised authority. We wouldn’t start publishing names of Federal Government agents engaged in secret communications with bandits in the media.
“We want to make it clear that it is not the State Government that is politicking insecurity, but rather the individuals who are holding covert talks with criminals in Zamfara.
The Information Minister’s allegation that there were no conversations between government representatives and bandits in Zamfara needs to be clarified further. We have already made public several of the places where these negotiations with bandits took place, including Birnin Magaji, Maradun, Mun Haye, Ajah, Bawo, and Bagege.
We cannot afford to negotiate with robbers in Zamfara State because doing so would be a huge error. It does not address the issue and only gives criminals more motivation and freedom. We compel the Federal Government to strongly condemn such actions and look into the motivations of those responsible.
