No deal with bandits, Zamfara gov insists

• This resolve comes in response to a Friday sermon by Sheikh Ahmed Kanoma, a prominent scholar in the state, who suggested the government should reattempt the reconciliation process to establish peace
  

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Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State remains firm in his stance, affirming that he won’t engage in negotiations with bandits and is committed to fighting them until they surrender.

This resolve comes in response to a Friday sermon by Sheikh Ahmed Kanoma, a prominent scholar in the state, who suggested the government should reattempt the reconciliation process to establish peace. Kanoma recommended that the state government should extend an invitation to all bandit leaders to engage in dialogue and seek a lasting resolution to the issue of banditry in the state.

However, Governor Lawal emphasized that it’s unjustifiable to reconcile with individuals who have not honored their promises or valued human lives.

He stated, “I still maintain my stand on non-negotiation with bandits as I announced earlier on. How can you reconcile with somebody who goes out to kill and kidnap people just for the sake of money? How many times did the past administrations reconcile with the bandits? Did that work?

The governor however stated that if the bandits wanted reconciliation, they should come out of the forest and surrender their weapons.

He added, “If they want reconciliation, let them surrender their weapons and come out for negotiation. If they have not done so, I will pursue them and fight them until they give up. I repeat, there is no reconciliation with somebody who does not value lives.”

The governor appealed to politicians to stop playing politics with security, which he described as an evil wind that would blow nobody any good.

He stated, “I am calling on the people of the state, particularly the politicians to stop playing politics with security. I want to make a passionate appeal to all the former governors of the state to please come out and join hands with my administration so that we can rescue our state which has been groping in the dark due to security challenges.”

The governor urged the people of the state to continue praying for peace to return to the state.