The Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, on Thurday accused his predecessor, Abdul’aziz Yari, of sabotaging the security of the state whenever he visited the state.
The governor made the allegation in a statement by his spokesperson, Yusuf Idris.
He said Mr Yari and his supporters were envious of the relative peace in the state since the ceasefire agreement Mr Matawalle reached with armed bandits who were behind the spree of kidnappings under the previous administration.
“The former governor Abdulaziz Yari is not happy with the peace so far recorded by the present administration and is instigating his boys against the security development,” Mr Idris quoted the governor as saying in the statement.
He said Mr Yari visited the state three times since he left office in May, and that each visit was followed by a security breach.
He said the disruptions were too much of a coincidence and blamed them on the unlawful gathering that the former governor always organised.
Mr Matawalle said the government would take measures against anyone found peddling lies or posting pictures on social media to misrepresent facts in any part of the state.
“I am instructing the security agencies in the state to arrest and prosecute anybody found in such acts, no matter how highly placed such persons or groups are in the society,” the statement said.
Mr Yari could not be immediately reached to comment on the development. His spokesperson, Ibrahim Dosara, could not be reached on his known phone number and he did not respond to a text message sent to him Friday morning.