As tension continues to engulf the country the Patriots for The Advancement Of Peace and Social Development (PAPs) have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to order security agencies to arrest, investigate and possibly prosecute members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who are beating the drums of war in Zamfara State.
In a press Statement in Abuja at the weekend signed by the Chairman of the Non-Governmental Organization Alhaji (Dr) Sani Abdulahi Shinkafi said that the call has become necessary following the unguarded and provocative statements being made by factional members of the APC loyal to former Governor Abdulazeez Yari.
According to him “ we write to call your attention, that of Nigerians and the world to a disaster waiting to occur in Zamafara State which has hitherto been the hot bed of armed banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling until the inauguration of the present administration of the Executive Governor Of Zamfara State Hon Mohammed Bello Matawalle.
“It is on record that at the inception of the present administration of Governor Matawalle, he declared a cease fire and an amnesty to all armed bandits and cattle rustlers in Zamfara State which had brought relative peace to the otherwise restive state.
Shinkafi pointed out that “in the last few weeks Intelligence reports available to us have uncovered plots by some factional members of the All Progressives Congress [APC] in Zamfara State to breach the existing peace the good people of Zamfara State are enjoying presently.
“There is an evil plan to disrupt the peace restored by the administration of Governor Bello Matawalle, that initiated peace and alternative dispute resolution with the deadly armed bandits in the state for the past one year.
Shinkafi stated that “members of the APC loyal to former Governor Yari were caught on tape threatening to take the laws into their own hands and inciting people against the government of the day in the state. Bloodletting, killings, kidnapping, armed robbery, displacements and wanton destruction and dislocation of people from their country homes, cattle rustling has drastically reduced to the barest minimum in all the nooks and crannies of Zamfara State.
The uncovered plots to destabilize the state sponsored by the factional leaders of the APC loyal to the immediate past Governor of Zamfara State in the last one year.
“The findings by the Government’s intelligence reports and security agencies indicate that the factional leadership of the APC in the State was inciting some repented armed bandits to denounce the peace accord signed with the Zamfara State Government and cause mayhem. This is not the first time that the enemies of the state would be attempting to cause crisis in the state, as it would be recalled that a few weeks ago, a former member of the House of Representatives sponsored hoodlums in Bakura during the APC House of Assembly bye-election primaries which led to the destruction of properties worth millions of naira and many innocent citizens were injured.
“He was arrested along with the hoodlums but was later granted bail by the police authorities. These desperadoes will throw our state into a senseless crisis which would result in the destruction of lives and state assets if the security agencies refuse to act quickly and be on red alert to nip the bud any attempt to cause crisis in the state, bust crimes and deal decisively with anybody caught fomenting trouble no matter his status or party affiliation.
“We call on His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Zamfara State Hon. Bello Mohammed Matawalle not to fold his hands and watch disgruntled and desperate politicians most of whom are frustrated by the 24th May,2019 Judgement delivered by Supreme Court of Nigeria that voided APC elections for none conduct of primary election in accordance with the provision of Section 87 of Electoral act 2010 as amendement they bend to disrupt the peace the government of the day has laboured so hard to restore, and bring back the lost glory of the state. Therefore, the security agencies should be on the red alert to arrest the ugly situation before it degenerates into a full blown crisis.
Shinkafi said “the administration of Governor Bello Matawalle has been called times without number to examine the role of bitter politicians in the complexity of the escalating rate of banditry in the state. Inspite of the unpararalled efforts of the governor in bring lasting peace to the state in the last one year.
“Pockets of armed banditry attacks and cattle rustling have has continued to persist. Upon intelligence report, the governor once had cause to issue a stern warning to former Governor Abdulazeez Yari against inciting upheavals whenever he visited the state. For those who thought Governor Matawalle has been political with the issue, it has now become crystal clear that the hands of bitter politicians are at work in the zig zag path to finding a lasting peace from the menace of banditry and other criminality which before held sway the coming of the Matawalle administration.
He noted that “If Matawalle was magnanimous enough not to cause the arrest of the former Governor, Yari, today the security operatives have found indisputable evidence of the former Governor Abdulaziz Yari ally, Alhaji Dantabawa in glaring secret meeting with recalcitrant bandits [thanks to the CCTV cameras installed by Matawalle] and was under extensive interrogation before he was released due to pressures from high quarters.
“Zamfara State has been peaceful since the inception of the Governor Bello Matawalle administration, normalcy has returned in the areas which was taken over by bandits in the last eight years, farmers have returned to their farmlands across the state, we should be grateful to the Governor Bello Matawalle government for the peace initiative while the government should in return expect maximum civic cooperation from the citizenry and not breakdown of law and order.
“We call on Mr President to in view of the foregoing, use his good offices as the Commander In-Chief of the Armed Forces to call for the immediate re-arrest/investigation and possible prosecution of Alhaji Sani Gwamna Maynachi and Alhaji Abubakar Muhammad Dantabawa , Sarkin Fulani Salisu Isah over allegations to breach the public peace in Zamfara State.
