From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau
Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle of Zamfara State has tendered unreserved apology to the people of Zamfara State and nation at large, NUJ, IPI and the Guild of Editors as well on the recent order given which included the directive for the immediate shutdown of some media organisations operating in the state.
In a press briefing in Gusau Zamfara State capital Tuesday, the Chairman Prosecution of Banditry-Related Cases, Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi who spoke on behalf of the Governor, said Governor Matawalle found it obligatory to exercise power bestowed on him by the 1999 constitution as amended with a view to ensure security of the state.
According to Shinkafi, the order which was extracted directly from the Constitution of the land 1999 as amended, was not aimed at disrupting the legitimate activities of political parties and operations of the media, but rather came alongside efforts by the State Government to pave way for the smooth operations by the Nigerian Airforce against bandits across some volatile areas in the state.
“It was expected of the media to help compliment the efforts of both the State and Federal Governments’ fights against all sorts of criminality and the total support from all the 18 registered political parties including the ruling party APC warming up for campaigns to ensure all the 14 local government areas of the state are safe.
“And to put the record straight, the Order was not singlehandedly created by the Governor but extracted from the Constitution, that was as a result of the security report which gathered that, about 1200 bandits had a plan to launch merciless attacks on innocent communities across some local government areas of the state.
“The planned attacks by the bandits were aimed at derailing all legitimate activities including the 2023 census, 2023 general elections to mention but a few, for this, Governor Matawalle, being the Chief Security Officer of the state, can not fold his arms to watch recalcitrant criminal elements making the state ungovernable.
“It was for that reasons, the Governor had quickly summoned all the Security Chiefs, Religious Leaders and Traditional Rulers in the state for an emergency security meeting during which the need for the order for the suspension of political gatherings had arised”, Shinkafi has added.
According to the Order which was unanimously agreed by all the stakeholders at the meeting, “The exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 5 (2), 176 (2) and 315 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and all other powers enabling me in that behalf.
“I hon. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, the Governor of Zamfara State, following the recent spate of attacks and killings of some innocent souls on some communities across some local government areas of the state, particularly Gusau, Tsafe, Gummi, Bukkuyum, Anka, Bungudu, Maru, Maradun and Kauran Namoda, resurgence of some activities of banditry, recent cases of kidnapping in their communities and some major federal high ways in the state.
“And in efforts to curtail the menace of armed banditry and other related crimes in the state as well as the need to widen the scope of measures taken by the government so as to strengthen the fight against banditry and other forms of social vices in the state, do hereby issued this order which may be cited as restrictions of movement and banning of all political activities Order No. 10, 2022 and shall come into operation on the 13th day of October 2022”, Abdullahi Shinkafi has quoted.
