Tag: Gov. Bello Matawalle

  • Sokoto PDP In Dilemma As Chairman Of Matawalle Support Organization Alongside 725 Members Defect To APC

    Sokoto PDP In Dilemma As Chairman Of Matawalle Support Organization Alongside 725 Members Defect To APC

    By Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto

    As the race for 2023 began in Nigeria, PDP in Sokoto State is having a sleepless night as one of the leaders of party’s support Group pulled out of the party.

    The Chairman of Matawalle Support Organization in Sokoto state, Alhaji Anas B. Waziri, alongside 725 members have defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives congress (APC) as revealed by the Special Adviser on Media to Senator Wamakko, Bashar Abubakar MC.

    Alhaji Anas said they decided to throw up their membership of the party as it’s leaders lost control to drive them to the promised land.

    Anas further explained that, their exit from PDP is a sign of victory for APC, citing its acceptability across board.

    He revealed that, as they joined APC, more PDP members were on the varge of migrating to the APC.

    He explained that, APC governorship candidate, Hon. Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto is the best choice for the people of the state as he is always garnering more support and wider acceptance.

    Receiving the defectors, APC governorship candidate, Hon. Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, told the new entrants that they will be carried along like any other member of the party.

    Aliyu reassured that he will run an all-inclusive government, if elected as Governor of the state so as to benefit all and sundry.

  • Zamfara Govt. Directs Restoration Of Telecom Services In Gusau

    Zamfara Govt. Directs Restoration Of Telecom Services In Gusau

    Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle of Zamfara has directed the restoration of telephone network in Gusau, the state capital.

    Network services had been cut off in the state since September as parts of measures to tackle banditry.

    But in a statement, Zailani Bappa, Special Adviser to the governor on Public Enlightenment, Media and Communications, quoted Matawalle as saying network should be restored from Friday.

    “The Governor has directed for the restoration of telecommunications services within the state Capital of Gusau only with effect from today, Friday, 1st October, 2021.”

    “The restoration of the service at the state Capital becomes imperative following the tremendous success recorded in the fight against banditry in the state and to ease the hardship faced by both the private and public sectors of the state.

    “Government finds it necessary to ease the tight measure after the recorded success desired of it which has no doubt destabilsed the syndicate of criminals terrosisibg the state leading to the successes recorded against them by the security operatives.

    “Governor Matawalle promises that his administration will continue to monitor closely the unfolding developments and will announce further decisions of Government on measurs being taken appropriately.”

  • Insecurity: No More Amnesty For Bandits, Matawalle Declares

    Insecurity: No More Amnesty For Bandits, Matawalle Declares

    The Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle, has said the state government is no longer interested in dialoguing with bandits as they have rejected the olive branch earlier extended to them.

    Speaking in Gusau, the state capital, he said that instead of dialogue, security forces would flush them out.

    “My administration will no longer grant amnesty to bandits as they have failed to embrace the peace initiative earlier extended to them,’’ the governor said while addressing a congregation.

    He urged residents to be patient and support new security measures put in place to flush out bandits and their collaborators to restore peace in the state.

    Matawalle said the barrage of attacks on bandits by security forces had made them to make a fresh overture to government, seeking dialogue.

    He said their emissaries informed him that they had repented and would want to dialogue with the government.

    He noted that some of the bandits were running out of Zamfara to other states as a result of the new security measures introduced by the state government.

    The governor warned politicians against giving any form of support to bandits, advising them to “fear God and stop buying motorcycles to distribute to people who in turn sell to bandits to perpetuate their evil acts.’’

    He warned that the government would prosecute any politician caught in the act.

    Meanwhile, commercial activities in the state have been halted following the two- week suspension of telecommunication network by the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC).

    All banking services, mobile telephone services, internet and other related services have also been suspended.

    In a related development, the Commissioner of Police in Zamfara, Ayuba Elkanah, announced the suspension of movement of all motorcycles with clutches in 13 local government areas of the state.

    In a chat with newsmen, Elkanah urged members of the public to continue to support security agencies by giving them vital information that would assist in fighting crimes and criminally in the state.

    He said, “In a bid to achieve this aim, additional measures have been put in place. Riding of motorcycles that have clutches have been banned in the 13 local government areas of the state, in addition to the earlier enforcement of restrictions on motorcycles and tricycles in Gusau Local Government Area.

    “In Gusau area, Damba and Mada are equally affected in the ban on riding motorcycles with clutches,’’ Elkanah said.

    The police commissioner said they had authoritative information that some unscrupulous elements use the vehicles, especially Golf III cars and Canter trucks, to supply petroleum products and food items to bandits in their camps.

    Elkanah enjoined residents in Zamfara to bear with the security agencies because the measures put in place were temporary and in the best interest of the state.

    “We urge residents to remain law-abiding and collaborate with security agencies in ensuring that peace and security is restored in the state,’’ the police commissioner said.

  • Matawalle seeks prayers over banditry in Zamfara

    Matawalle seeks prayers over banditry in Zamfara

    Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara has appealed to the people of the state to intensify prayers for God’s intervention to end banditry in the state.

    Matawalle made the call during a special prayer session organised by the Ulamau Consultative Committee (UCC) which was held all over the state.

    The governor who attended the prayer at the Gusau Central Mosque, said it has become imperative for the citizens to complement the government and security operatives’ efforts in tackling the menace in the state. “Prayer is the only powerful weapon that can solve any calamity on the people. We must seek for Allah’s forgiveness.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the special prayer session was observed in all the Juma’at mosques in the state.

  • Insecurity: Gov Matawalle Calls For State Of Emergency In Northern Nigeria

    Insecurity: Gov Matawalle Calls For State Of Emergency In Northern Nigeria

    Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, has called for a state of emergency in the northern part of the country over the security challenges in the region.

    He made the call on Wednesday at a meeting with the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 10, Ali Janga, at the Government House in Gusau, the state capital.

    The governor who is seriously concerned about the series of attacks in many states in the region believes a declaration of a state of emergency will address the problem of insecurity in the North.

    Nigeria’s northern region comprises three geopolitical zones – North East, North West, and North-Central – and 19 states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Over the years, parts of the region have been grappling with a series of criminal activities such as kidnapping, bombings, and attacks on communities as a result of insurgency and banditry.

    Before now, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in the region while millions were forced to flee their ancestral homes.

    Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) are largely responsible for the incidents in the North East, while bandits have continued to engage in kidnapping for ransom in the North West and parts of the North Central.

    Schools and security formations have been targets for the criminals, and the latest is the attack on the Nigeria Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna State.

    For some persons of concern, including Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, there is a strong connection between the terrorists and the bandits.

    Following the meeting with the senior police officer on Wednesday, Governor Matawalle briefed the people of the state on the present security situation in Zamfara.

    Read the full text of the briefing below:

    My dear people of Zamfara State.

    Following the recent upsurge in banditry attacks in some parts of our dear State, I feel compelled to address you on the new steps being taken by my administration to contain the situation.

    As we all know, the primary objective of the state is to provide security for the lives of the people and their property. My primary motivation for running for the office of governor in 2019 is to devote myself to addressing the enormous and protracted security challenges faced by our dear state for over a decade.

    I wish to express my profound sympathies to all those who have lost their loved ones, property, and those who have been displaced and separated from their family. My heart goes to the women and children who have been forced to live in deplorable conditions of being widows, orphans and displaced as a result of the bandits’ constant onslaught.

    One can only imagine the constant state of misery and sleeplessness that our people are frequently experiencing. We must remain resolute in our efforts to contain this situation.

    Even though we were all aware of the bleak situation of Zamfara State before I took over as Governor in May 2019, it would not be inappropriate for me to take a trip down memory lane to remind us of it.

    Many parts of the state were literally governed by the bandits, who were having a field day in virtually all the rural areas of the state. Villages were being raided in the most inhumane manner possible-massacres carried out, and those who survived the attacks were subjected to all forms of indignities, including rape and torture.

    Virtually all markets were closed as traders could not risk their lives to attend the markets. There was a general sense of despondency everywhere, as the entire rural economy, which is largely agrarian, had collapsed, posing the threat of starvation. The rural Zamfara was a huge centre of humanitarian catastrophe with people left to their own devices.

    From day one, my administration took a close look at the situation and weighed the choices. Following extensive consultations with all relevant stakeholders, including traditional and religious leaders and security services, it was overwhelmingly agreed that the best way to address such a huge security challenge, which has the appearance of ethnic and inter-communal disharmony, is through dialogue and reconciliation with feuding parties. For example:

    We have seen a remarkable precedent in the act of Prophet Muhammad, may the peace of Allah be upon him, where he brokered peace with Banu Aws and Banu Khazraj through the process of dialogue and reconciliation.

    In our contemporary time, we have seen how the dialogue mechanism was used to end the Nigerian civil war, which raged between 1967 and 1970; the Lebanese civil war of 1975 to 1990; we have seen how peace mechanism worked between Tivs and Jukun and many other conflicts that are directly or indirectly linked to ethnicity in Nigeria.

    It is evident from our experience in history that social eruptions and conflicts that border on ethnic or religious fault lines are better addressed through the instrument of dialogue instead of military or police action. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to such issues. In reality, experience has shown that they are better addressed via dialogue and reconciliation, as violence frequently leads to further violence.

    As a fallout of our dialogue and reconciliation policy, hostilities between the bandits and Yansakai were immediately ceased. The state witnessed about nine months of peace; hundreds of kidnapped people were unconditionally released by their captives; hundreds of assorted arms and ammunition were surrendered by both the bandits and the Yansakai.

    The state witnessed the rebirth of the glorious era of brotherhood, love and mutual coexistence between members of the Fulani ethnic group and the Hausas. For the first time, in more than a decade, the annual Sharu festival was held in Gusau in 2019.

    The amazing successes of our peace efforts made our initiative appealing to some of the states sharing similar experiences as our state. Some of them opted for dialogue but eventually abandoned the programme after running into some issues.

    However, things took a dramatic turn, with the issue given political colouration by a section of politicians. Some people saw our progress as a threat to their political survival and began making disparaging efforts to undermine our achievements. Those acts of sabotage were the beginning of the ugly turn of events.

    The primary hurdles to our peace efforts, based on my experience over the last two years, are:

    Reluctance on the part of the affected states to engage in peace talks, which would have denied the recalcitrant bandits who are currently making life difficult for our people a safe passage through the region; lack of support from a section of politicians and conflict entrepreneurs that wish to take advantage of the situation to achieve political ends; and the need for the Federal Government to key into the peace initiative so that appropriate resources can be allocated to make it more comprehensive.

    My good people of Zamfara state, you are living witnesses to all our unwavering commitments to peace. I have had cause to meet with Mr President on matters relating to the state’s security on several occasions.

    I met the national security chiefs on numerous occasions. I have extended an olive branch to our political opponents in view of my conviction that attaining a lasting peace will require unity among all segments of society. Almost all my engagements outside the state are related to issues of security.

    In taking my recent decision to move to the APC, my aim is to have an all-inclusive government where people with different political perspectives will put their hands together for the development of our dear state. I reached out to the notable political figures in the State and made known to them my desire to have a united front to confront and address the numerous issues of development affecting our state.

    I have made several political offers to the opposition because I have no mission far crucial than that of securing our state. This I have done despite vehement objection by my political associates. My belief has always been no amount of sacrifice is too much for peace.

    This is why I took myself to the doorsteps of some political stakeholders with the aim of uniting ourselves to form a formidable team to address the disturbing security challenge bedevilling our dear State in the spirit of forging unity for the benefit of our dear state.

    Apart from our peace and reconciliation efforts and the recent political developments, we have equally maintained our obligations to our security forces through the provision of logistical and all other supports they require to discharge their function.

    We had an expanded Security Council meeting last Monday in furtherance of our steadfast efforts to confront this persistent challenge. The meeting was attended by all security chiefs, emirs, and the ulamas. I commend all of them for positively and sincerely offering their advice on how best to tackle the problems at hand.

    We reviewed the effectiveness or otherwise of the current security measures aimed at containing the security challenge and received reports from members. Some of the observations and resolutions of the meeting that we can share with the public are:

    The security agencies have given their assurances to the general public of commitment to protecting lives and property across the State, as well as their readiness for rapid and prompt response to distress calls;

    The general public should therefore continue to cooperate and support the security forces to achieve the desired objective. We should appreciate the monumental sacrifices by our security agents and encourage them to work harder;

    Security is everyone’s responsibility, People should, therefore, be vigilant and report any suspicious character to the appropriate authorities;

    Islamic scholars are called upon to intensify sermons and preaching on issues bordering on security, sanctity and inviolability of human life;

    The conventional and new media practitioners should play a positive role in promoting peace and harmony and desist from disseminating unconfirmed and inciting reports that may jeopardise public security;

    Politicians should join ranks and work in unison towards combatting the security challenge;

    Apart from the measures outlined, the meeting has also agreed to take further tactical measures to effectively contain the challenging situation across the State.

    My dear people of Zamfara State, I would like to use this opportunity to call on all of us to remain fervently prayerful for peace to reign in our State and the nation in general. We should ask Allah for forgiveness and His divine intervention.

    Once again, I wish to extend my deep sympathy to those who sustained various degrees of injuries those recuperating in hospitals and at home. I wish them speedy recovery and good health. Government will continue to give them all medical and other necessary support.

    I reassure you that we are doing everything humanly possible to address this lingering challenge.

    I thank you all.

    Wassalamu Alaikum

  • Gov. Matawalle  appoints new Head of Service

    Gov. Matawalle appoints new Head of Service

    Zamfara State Governor, Hon. Bello Mohammed Matawalle has approved the appointment of Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad Gayari as the new Head of Service of the State.

    This is contained in a statement issued to newsmen in Gusau, the state capital by the Director-General, Press Affairs to the governor, Comrade Yusuf Idris Gusau.

    The appointment followed the elevation of the former Head of Service, Alhaji Kabiru Balarabe to Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

    According to the statement, the appointment of Kabiru Muhammad Gayari as the Head of Service was with immediate effect.

    Until his appointment, Alhaji Gayari was the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Finance and the longest serving Permanent Secretary, Budget and Economic Planning since the creation of Zamfara State and one time Chairman Zamfara State Board of Internal Revenue Service.

  • Matawalle Suspends Joint Task Force In Zamfara, Calls For Restructuring

    Matawalle Suspends Joint Task Force In Zamfara, Calls For Restructuring

    The Zamfara State Governor,  Bello Matawalle has approved the immediate suspension of all the activities of the Joint Task Force on Zamfara State Road Traffic Agency (ZAROTA) headed by Col. Rabiu Garba Yandoto (rtd).

    According to a statement signed by a State Government spokesperson, Yusuf Gusau, the action followed the protest of the Tricycle Riders Association in the state last week while the governor was away in Abuja for an official engagement

    Yusuf said the governor has also directed for a full scale investigation into the circumstances that led to the protest with a view to advising the government on how best to restructure the agency for the overall interest of the people of the state.

    “The governor has also approved the suspension of all the activities of the agency pending the outcome of the investigation,” the statement said.

    “The joint task force is hereby directed to hand over all government properties in its possession to the office of the Secretary to the State Government with immediate effect.”

  • Zamfara Governor signs autonomy bill for judiciary, legislature

    Zamfara Governor signs autonomy bill for judiciary, legislature

    Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, on Thursday, signed the bills granting financial autonomy for the judiciary and legislature in the state.

    The spokesman and Director-General Media and Communications to the Governor, Yusuf Idris, said Matawalle signed the bill on Thursday at a brief ceremony held at the State Government House, Gusau, before all the principal officers of the assembly as well as the acting Secretary to the State Government who also doubled as the Head of the Civil Service, Kabiru Balarabe, among others.

    “The two new laws are now the Zamfara State Judiciary Autonomy Law and the Zamfara State Legislative Fund Management Law and Related Matters Connected Therewith, 2021 (1442 AH).”

    According to the spokesman, Governor Matawalle attached great importance to the two bills and would not entertain any further delay in signing the bills into law.

    He equally said the governor promised to continually ensure that all statutory responsibilities are directed to the appropriate channels.

    “We will not politicise or joke with your responsibilities, your funding and the autonomy. Therefore, with this signing into law, it is my strong conviction that we will continue to work as partners for the growth and progress of our dear state and the good people of Zamfara,” he noted.

    Matawalle also appealed to members of the judiciary and legislative arm of government to shelve corrupt practices. He challenged them to expose anyone found wanting in that regard.

    The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Nasiru Magarya, in his remark said Governor Matawalle has successfully maintained a cordial relationship with both the legislative and judiciary arm of government.

    Magarya assured the Governor that the two other arms of government will continue to support the executive arm of government in order to move the state forward.

  • Gov Matawalle sacks Special Advisers

    Gov Matawalle sacks Special Advisers

    BY Oboh Mike

    Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara, has relieved all his Special Advisers of their appointment.

    This is contained in a statement by the acting Secretary to the State Government and Head of Service, Alhaji Kabiru Balarabe in Gusau.

    Balarabe, however, said the Special Adviser on Security, retired DIG Mamman Tsafe was not affected by the development.

    “It is hereby notified for general information that Gov. Bello Matawalle, has relieved all Special Advisers of their appointments, except the Special Adviser on Security matters.

    “This decision is in line with the recent defection to the APC and to allow for an in-depth search of more but competent hands in the administration of the state, irrespective of political affiliations,” he said.

  • APC Governors to receive Gov Matawalle Tomorrow

    APC Governors to receive Gov Matawalle Tomorrow

    Zamfara State Governor Matawalle will officially defect from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) tomorrow.

    His spokesman, Mr Yusuf Idris, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday that 18 APC governors would welcome him.

    “All is now set for our governor to move from the PDP to the APC,” he said.

    According to him, a grand reception will hold in Gusau, the state capital, tomorrow.

    “The governor will come along with all the national and state Assembly members as well as the PDP executives from all levels of the state,” Idris said.

    “Zamfara politicians have always been a single-family and even as a PDP governor, he has always related very well with those in the opposition parties.

    “Many people from high and low have followed the governor into the PDP in order to offer their positive advice for the growth and development of the state.

    “Some of such persons were given top government positions and responsibilities which they held very well too.”

    Idris added that Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, who is the APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, will receive Matawalle.