On Wednesday, September 11, the Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) responded to claims by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that Bello Mohammed Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defense, pressured the state government to negotiate with bandits.
In a statement released by the state Publicity Secretary, Mallam Yusuf Idris Gusau, the APC called the accusation unfounded.
The statement pointed out that the PDP-led government under Governor Dauda Lawal has been blaming the previous APC administration for failing to fulfill campaign promises, even though it has been over a year since the current government took office.
The APC statement said: “During the campaign, Dauda Lawal’s team used the issue of insecurity to criticize Matawalle’s leadership, promising to solve the problem of banditry within the first months in office. Since they have not succeeded, they are now blaming the APC for their inability to address the issue.”
The APC also addressed a memo that recently went viral, which supposedly came from the state government and was signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Nakwada. The memo allegedly requested approval for over N1 billion to settle bandits and journalists. The APC argued that the memo could have come from any source and questioned whether it was part of a tactic to deflect attention from the state government’s own shortcomings.
The statement continued: “While Matawalle’s government pursued reconciliation to reduce banditry, Governor Dauda rejected this approach. Now, he has failed to provide new solutions and undermined federal efforts to combat crime.”
The APC also criticized the current administration for secretly approving reconciliations with bandits without public documentation. They demanded transparency from the government about its efforts and results in handling security issues.
The APC urged the state government to explain the resignation of the former chairman of the State Security Trust Fund, M. D. Abubakar, and to provide information on the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who are now begging due to inadequate state support.
In conclusion, the APC accused the PDP government of mishandling security issues, claiming that Governor Dauda has focused on personal interests rather than addressing the primary responsibilities of safeguarding the state. The APC called for immediate action and accountability instead of blaming others or engaging in political rhetoric.
