I mistakenly said all bandits are criminals -Zamfara Gov. Matawalle

 

The Zamfara State Governor, Bello Mohammed, has clarified a statement he made during a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

 

The governor had gone to brief the president on the security situation in the state.

 

While addressing journalists after the visit, Mr Mohammed said not all bandits operating in the state are criminals.

 

He explained that most of the bandits take up arms due to the injustice meted on them by some members of the society.

 

But in a statement on Wednesday, the governor said he meant to say that not all Fulani were criminals.

 

The statement signed by his media aide, Zailani Bappa, said the governor did not mean to say that not all bandits were criminals.

 

Read full statement below:

 

ZAMFARA STATE GOVT HOUSE

 

(PRESS RELEASE)

 

Re: NOT ALL BANDITS ARE CRIMINALS

 

A story carried by the Online medium, Premium Times today, quoted Governor Bello Mohammed (Matawallen Maradun) as saying that not all bandits are criminals.

 

 

Indeed, His Excellency was at the Presidential villa yesterday to brief Mr President on the security situation in the state. He also granted a short interview with the press crew at the villa.

 

In that interview, he tried to make clear his known and popular view that not all FILANII are CRIMINALS. He went on to explain the injustices meted on them such as rustling their cattle as reasons that pushed them to criminality.

 

If indeed he mentioned the word BANDITS instead of FULANI, then it was an inadvertent mistake as common sense dictates that banditry cannot at any time be justified as a non-criminality.

 

We wish to call on all Nigerians who come across this story to disregard the message as that is not at all what His Excellency meant to say nor the kind of message he wanted to portray.

 

Zailani Bappa

Special Adviser

Public Enlightenment, Media and Communications

18/2/2021