The Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has expressed optimism that the reign of terror being unleashed on the state and its environs by notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji would soon come to an end. He stated that Mr Turji and his nefarious band were hiding somewhere in the borders between Zamfara and Sokoto states around Shinkafi. He said this on Monday night during his appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme anchored by Seun Okinbaloye.
The governor spoke a few days after the military made significant gains against bandits in the zone by killing another notorious bandit leader, Halilu Sububu.
Mr Lawal said that with the renewed onslaught by the military assisted by the Community Protection Guards (CPG) of Zamfara State, Mr Turji and his co-bandits will soon be smoked out and captured or killed.
“It’s only a matter of time,” Governor Lawal declared when asked about the likelihood that the notorious bandit leader would be taken out soon. “With what we have in place, with the collaboration between us (the state government) and the Federal Government, security agencies, believe me, it is only a matter of time; Turji will be killed very, very soon,” he added.
Recall that recently, the military made significant gains against bandits in the North-west, killing daredevil bandit leader, Halilu Sububu. Before he met his Waterloo, Mr Sububu, who enjoyed wide illicit connections and funding, had been kidnapping, killing, and terrorising citizens in Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger and Katsina states as well as other parts of the North-West zone. His killing alongside 30 other bandits last week was greeted with jubilations in Zamfara and her neighbouring states.
Asked whether the anticipated follow-up capture or killing of one of the most notorious bandits kingpin in the zone, Mr Turji would signal an end to banditry in the zone, the governor said that while it might not totally end the sinister act, he was positive that “it will bring it down significantly”.
Commenting on the ongoing military operation in the zone code named Fansan Yamma, Governor Lawal declared that the military was on the right course and should sustain the pressure against bandits and other violent non-state actors there. He said that sustaining the push without slacking was crucial for achieving the ultimate goal of stamping out banditry in Zamfara, the North-west, and the country as a whole.
The governor stated, “What we need to do is sustain this military pressure. If we are able to sustain this pressure within the next two weeks to one month, believe me, it will be a different story as far as banditry is concerned.”
Responding to a question about the reported soured relationship between him and his predecessor in office, Bello Muhammad, better known as Bello Matawalle, Mr Lawal said there was nothing personal about their relationship. He stressed that their strained relationship has to do with the manner Mr. Matawalle managed the state’s finances during his tenure as governor.
The governor drew attention to the fact that before he assumed office on 29 May, 2023, Mr Matawalle was already being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged missing N70 billion from the state’s coffers. He said that further investigations under his administration have revealed that over N250 billion was unaccounted for by the preceding administration in the state headed by Mr Matawalle.
Mr Lawal said that “there was no N4 million in the state treasury” when he took over as governor in May last year adding that he inherited a backlog of salary arrears, some dating as far back as three years.
He listed other debts his government inherited from Mr Matawalle’s administration as N1.3 billion owed National Examination Council (NECO), N1.6 billion for West African Examination Council (WAEC), N1.3 billion unpaid electricity bills for Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) and over N13 billion pension arrears among others.
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Mr Lawal said that his administration has verified and cleared most of the inherited debts. He added that out of N12 billion pension arrears, N8 billion has been paid as of date.
The governor stressed that Zamfara, apart from being mired in banditry, was at the bottom in terms of education, infrastructures, and other development indices in the country when he took over as governor. He expressed happiness that he has been able to turn things around for the better in many sectors after just one year and a few months in the saddle as governor.
On alleged plans by the state government to negotiate with the bandits, the governor said his government has never negotiated with bandits and has no plan to do so. “My stand has always been no negotiation with bandits…From little understanding I have about warfare, you can only negotiate successfully from the position of strength,” not now when the criminals are doing their own propaganda to deceive the people. He added that the bandits should be degraded to the level where they would have no option than to surrender not on their own terms but based on the terms and conditions set by the authorities.
Apart from being a hotbed for banditry in the country for several years, Zamfara State has also been in the news for illegal mining with mineral resources running into millions of dollars being carted away in very opaque operations by some Nigerians and their foreign collaborators.
The non-state actors reported to be significantly involved in illegal mining activities in the state are allegedly funding some of the bandits terrorizing the state.
“There is a correlation between banditry and, to some extent, these mining activities. You can’t rule that out,” Governor Lawal said in response to a question about illegal mining and banditry.
To curb the illegal mining activities, the governor wants a review of the way the mining sector is coordinated. To start with, he said he has signed an Executive Order banning mining activities in the state pending when the modalities for lawful operation are put in place.
This, he explained, is to ensure “proper collaboration between the Federal Government — because mining is on the exclusive list, however, the land belongs to the state government”. He stated that for that reason, there is the need for synergy between the two tiers of government.
As things stand, he said it is difficult to even determine the number of licensed miners in the state, stressing that the state government has no clue about the revenue that the federal government might be generating from mining in the states.