From Adam Muhammad, Gusau
The Zamfara State Patriotic Political Class( ZAMPPOC) a group of concerned people in the state has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for choosing former Governor of the state, Bello Mohammed Matawalle to be in his cabinet representing the good people of Zamfara State.
This is contained in a statement made available to Blueprint in Gusau Sunday jointly signed by the state chairman and secretary, Bilal Shehu Umar and Kabiru Ibrahim Garba.
The group described the choice of Matawalle by president Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a Minister of Defence as a clear indication that the several methods he used in decimating armed banditry that bedevilled the state when he was the governor were carefully being watched by many well meaning Nigerians.
“Before becoming the governor of Zamfara, Matawalle had served as member House of Representatives during which he efficiently and effectively served as Chairman House Committee on National Security and Intelligence for good four years which saw a drastic reduction of the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents to the gratitude and pride of the National Assembly.”
“Matawalle introduced peace dialogue with bandits in the state who had made life terribly unbearable most especially to the rural dwellers who were always either killed, maimed or kidnapped while their animals and foodstuffs were carted away or burned”.
“through the peace dialogue, many of the bandits surrendered their arms and ammunition as well as assisted security agents in tracking down unrepentant bandits, a situation which in turn forced many of them to either surrender or relocate elsewhere”.
“We are aware that Matawlle had initiated and joined forces with his colleagues, the governors of neighboring Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger and Kano states and even had to cross over to the neighboring Niger Republic and formed partnerships and alliances with support from the federal government and security agencies to disband hundreds of bandits camps and their occupants harbouring in the region”.
According to the statement, Matawalle was and has remained the first and only governor who initiated the RUGA settlement for Fulanis equipped with all social amenities including schools, hospitals, markets, police station, sources of good drinking water, modern pastures, improved grass feeds and other means of maintaining a good livestock with the view to keep the nomadic Fulanis in one place so as to reduce the fights characterized by lost of lives and property involving the nomadic Fulanis and other communities.
“It is, therefore, our strong believe that making Matawalle a Defence Minister is a round peg in a round hole, and it is going to be too bad for all criminals and crimes”.
“We are very confident that Matawalle will be one of the best and fulfilling ministers in the Tinubu led administration and we shall continue to pray for him and the government for a successful, historic and people oriented administration”.
