I will resign if that will end insecurity in Zamfara, says Matawalle

Bello Matawalle, Zamfara governor, says he is willing to step down if it will bring a lasting solution to the prevalent insecurity in his state.

The governor spoke on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, on Wednesday.

He said: “I am not intimidated. If I know that my resigning as a governor will make the people sleep with their two eyes closed, I can resign.

“I am ready to do what will bring security. I am not power-hungry. I have been having a sleepless night to protect the people of Zamfara state.”

The governor’s comment is coming one day after the 279 schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Jengebe, regained their freedom.

Matawalle said some repentant bandits helped to facilitate the release of the schoolgirls.

He said his government has never given money to repentant bandits, adding that they only engaged them in skills acquisition.

“People are saying amnesty, it is not about amnesty. What amnesty means maybe is the federal government provides some huge amount of money,” he said.

“Nobody gave amnesty to these people (referring to repentant bandits), we only convince them to give them some trading in various skills as skills acquisition.

“We are not giving them kobo, we are not giving them anything. People talk about amnesty, is like people are thinking that huge amount of money was collected and given to them.

“No single kobo was given to them, any of them who repented, nothing was given to them.”