Matawalle denies flouting FG’s no-fly zone order

Bello Matawalle, governor of Zamfara, has denied reports that he flouted the federal government’s no-fly zone order on the state.

President Muhammadu Buhari had declared Zamfara a no-fly zone, following the recent abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in the state.

The president also approved a ban on mining activities in the state, as part of efforts to curb rising insecurity.

In a statement on Thursday, Zailani Bappa, media aide to the governor, described reports linking the governor to illegal mining and attempt to sabotage the president’s directive as “mischievous and unfounded”.

“The general public is hereby admonished to disregard this callous and blatant blackmail of calumny,” he said.

He explained that the governor had “reemphasised his stand on the decisions taken by the federal government in a state-wide broadcast, where he expressed his total support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and its decisions in the fight against banditry in the state and the zone as a whole”.

“Governor Matawalle further commended the president three days ago, when all the four service chiefs paid him a courtesy call in Gusau, and described the president as a father who has always supported him in the fight against banditry in the state,” the statement reads.

“He noted that Mr President has always, swiftly, granted him audience anytime he requests to meet him on security, and also commended his decision to send additional 6,000 troops to boost the fight against banditry in the state.”

On the issue of illegal mining, Bappa said Matawalle has always fought to implement the federal government’s order, which led to the arrest of many illegal operators in the state, including foreign nationals.

“It is obvious now that it is corruption and illegality that is fighting back. How can the governor who worked hard to fight illegality now be linked to the same illegality perpetrated by others?” he queried.

“As for helicopters landing in the name of his excellency, there is no false imagination bigger than that, as the governor has no helicopter, nor hires any chopper for whatever reason or purpose.

“The state government wishes to assure the presidency that the fight against banditry in the state is a collective one, and it has no intention to go parallel with the efforts of the federal government in this fight.”