Embrace peace or vacate Zamfara, Matawalle warns bandits

From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle of Zamfara State has warned all armed bandits that kill, kidnap and rustle cows in the state to embrace peace for legitimate businesses or leave for other places outside the state as formidable measures have been mapped out by his administration to ensure restoration of peace.
Matawalle, who gave the warning yesterday in his maiden speech shortly after being sworn-in as new Zamfara governor said, security of lives and property is one of his administration’s priorities, the reason he summoned emirs and other traditional rulers from across the 17 emirate councils of the state and the security chiefs for emergency security meeting today.
“I was the chairman, house committee on security from 2007 to 2011, therefore, having much knowledge on ways to conquer all forms of criminal activities that blocked Zamfara state from being moved forward by the previous governments for decades, we were proud of being potential farmers that grow in commercial quantity for the development of the nation’s economy”, Matawalle said.
“With all-year-round government-supported farming activities on ground, rate of unemployment and poverty back-pulling the development of the state would be addressed, and that will discourage total reliance on government as had become a tradition in the state,” he added.
The Governor further informed of arrangement for the revival of abandoned Skill Acquisition Programme within his first 100 days in office, which according to him, followed the need by the incoming government to boost the state’s economy for betterment of the good people of the state.
He pledged to improve on health and education sectors in the state, adding that, “Zamfara is left amongst others far behind in terms of passing examinations especially for the students under preparations for tertiary institutions and the rate of increasing maternal and child mortality across hospitals and other health facilities.