‘We’re working with repentant bandits’ — Matawalle says schoolgirls will be released soon

Bello Matawalle, governor of Zamfara state, says students abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, will be released soon.

As many as 317 schoolgirls were kidnapped from their hostel last Friday, but seven of them reportedly escaped.

The governor spoke on Sunday, while receiving the federal government delegation over the abduction of the children.

He said the state government is working with repentant bandits to facilitate the safe rescue of the schoolgirls.

“We are using the leaders of the repentant bandits to rescue the schoolgirls from the kidnappers. Very soon, we are going to witness the release of the abductees,” NAN quoted him to have said.

Matawalle added that his administration “is going to continue with peace process with bandits, considering its impact in addressing security challenges facing the state”.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for sending the delegation to symphathise with the state over what he described as an “ugly act”.

There have been widespread reports that the abducted schoolgirls have been released, but Suleiman Tunau Anka, the state commissioner for information and culture, had discredited such reports, saying the students have not been freed.