TheCable

Bello Matawalle, governor of Zamfara, has sworn by the Quran that he has no connection with bandits.

The Quran is the holy book for Islam, a faith which the governor professes.

In the past months, the state has come under a series of attacks by suspected bandits.

Bandits had abducted schoolgirls at the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe.

While receiving an award conferred on him by the Centre for Quranic Reciter, Nigeria, on Sunday, Matawalle called on the people of Zamfara to swear, too, that they have no connection with bandits terrorising the state.

“As I’ve been mentioning, the issue of insecurity is not just for federal government, governor or other security agencies; the issue of insecurity is for all of us, and we should not politicise the issue of insecurity,” he said.

“I have sworn with the Holy Qur’an that if I know, or if I am part of, or I know anybody who is coordinating this banditry, or with my hand or any of my family, may Allah not give me in this life.

“I dare all the people from Zamfara state, from our father, Aliyu Gusau to Yarima Bakura and all the cabinet members, right from the inception of the political dispensation of the state, to take this oath as I did.”

The governor said in taking up the challenge, it will be easy for residents to identify those behind insecurity and ensure peace is restored in the state.

He said as chief security officer of the state, he will do everything possible to provide a secure and peaceful environment.

He added that it is important for residents to be able to go about their lawful business without fear of anyone harming them.

In 2019, Matawalle dethroned some traditional rulers in the state over their alleged involvement in banditry.

The Zamfara police command redeployed its divisional police officer (DPO) in Kaura-Namoda following allegations of conniving with bandits terrorising the area.