In a development that further intensifies the ongoing controversy surrounding negotiations with bandits, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State asserted on Tuesday that the state government possesses compelling evidence implicating federal government agents in clandestine talks with the criminal elements.
Governor Lawal, who has consistently opposed the idea of negotiating with bandits, previously sounded the alarm regarding what he deemed as secret negotiations between the Federal Government and the criminal groups.
However, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, accused the Zamfara State Government of politicizing security matters.
In a statement released through his spokesman, Sulaiman Bala Idris, Governor Lawal reaffirmed his claims and emphasized the need for a thorough investigation before discrediting the state government’s assertions.
The statement from the governor’s office read in part: “We sought clarification from the Federal Government regarding the sneaky negotiations with bandits carried out by some of its agents without recourse to the State Government and heads of Security agencies in the State.”
“We have facts and evidence on what had transpired between these agents of the Federal Government and the bandits during the negotiations in several places across Zamfara.”
“It is disappointing that the information minister discredited our claim without verifying it first. What is expected of him as a professional is to collaborate with relevant authorities to substantiate the claim’s authenticity.”
Governor Lawal clarified that the state government would not publicly disclose the names of federal government agents allegedly involved in secret dialogues with bandits, highlighting that they respect established authority and protocols.
He further emphasized that the individuals leading these covert negotiations with bandits in Zamfara were the ones politicizing the issue, not the state government.
“The Information Minister’s statement claiming that there were no negotiations between government officials and bandits in Zamfara requires further clarification. We have already exposed a few locations where such talks were held with bandits, such as Birnin Magaji, Maradun, Mun Haye, Ajah, Bawo, and Bagege.”
Concluding the statement, Governor Lawal cautioned against negotiating with bandits in Zamfara, considering it a grave mistake that should not be made. He argued that such negotiations are not a solution to the problem but only serve to embolden criminals. The governor called upon the Federal Government to take a decisive stance against these activities and investigate the motives of those engaging in them.
