Minister of State for Defence and former Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, has defended his decision to engage in dialogue with bandits during his time in office, stating it was the best solution at the time. Matawalle, who has faced accusations of sponsoring bandits, strongly denied the allegations.
In an interview on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Matawalle explained that his decision to initiate dialogue with bandits was based on the advice of key stakeholders in Zamfara State, including traditional rulers, religious leaders, and security agencies.
“Yes, I initiated the reconciliation dialogue. When I became the governor, I looked at the scenario — why are bandits killing people at present? I was thinking about the best way to tackle the situation,” Matawalle stated.
He revealed that he consulted widely with different groups before arriving at the decision to pursue dialogue. “I called all stakeholders—traditional rulers, religious leaders, the security agencies, the leader of the Fulani, and the leader of the Asa clan. I heard from each group separately,” he said.
According to Matawalle, after engaging with the stakeholders, a comprehensive discussion was held with the security agencies, including the Army, Police, DSS, Immigration, and Civil Defence, all of whom supported the dialogue initiative. “Based on the recommendation we had from the people of the state and the traditional rulers, the best solution at the time was to have a dialogue with the bandits, and it was a success,” he explained.
Matawalle emphasized that the decision was made in the best interest of the people of Zamfara State, as it contributed to a reduction in violence during his tenure.
