Insecurity: Gov Matawalle seeks help from President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger Republic

Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State on Monday visited President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger Republic to seek help on countering the raging banditry in the state, including the high banditry in border territories between Nigeria and Niger Republic.

The Chief Pores Secretary to the Governor, Jamilu Magaji, in a statement disclosed that the Governor and the Niger Republic President met at the Presidential Palace, Niamey. The CPS emphasized that the meeting was focused on deliberations of the insecurity crisis in northwest Nigeria and border territories of Niger Republic, to explore areas of support and cooperation between the Niger Republic and Zamfara State.

Governor Matawalle, acknowledging the gesture of President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger Republic for the opportunity given him and Zamfara State Government to discuss security challenges, especially, kidnapping, cattle rustling, and armed banditry in the Maradi region and parts of Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto states, acquainted President Bazoum of the actions of his administration towards ending banditry and criminal activities in the region.

Governor Matawalle told the president that beside dialogue, peace initiative and reconciliation process, his administration has provided intelligence to security agents on how best to trace informants who provide information to armed bandits and their collaborators. He added that his administration has deployed CCTV cameras that will monitor the activities and movements of people in the state to facilitate tracking and tracing criminal hideouts and their nefarious activities.

Matawalle promised his administration will donate five brand new Hilux vehicles to the Government of Niger Republic to provide special border patrol at Maradi and other parts of Niger Republic which share border with Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto states.

The governor stated that the vehicles will be handed over to the Governor of Maradi Region.

The Zamfara governor appealed for regular security meeting with the Nigerien Minister of Defence, the Governor of Maradi, and the Governor of Zamfara State, including governors of Katsina and Sokoto states, to address the lingering security crisis facing the two countries.

President Bayou thanked Matawalle for the visit and the efforts he has made to end the insecurity affecting the two countries, especially within the border of Maradi and Northwest Nigeria.

Bazoum encouraged Matawalle to sustain the efforts to address insecurity in Zamfara by providing new methods to restore peace in the region, promising that the Government of Niger Republic is ever ready to support Zamfara State in the fight against insecurity.

The President enjoined governors in Nigeria to place total ban on importation of motorcycles into Nigeria.

President Bayou highlighted that armed banditry across the Niger Republic is traced from Madawa and Bayan Dutsi and spread into Nigeria through Maradi.

The meeting was attended by the Ministers of Defence and Internal Affairs of the Niger Republic, the Chief of Staff to President Mohamed Bazoum, the Service Chiefs of the Republic of Niger, and the country’s Inspector General of Police.

Accompanying Governor Matawalle were Senator Sahabi Yau Kaura, Representing Zamfara North Senatorial District; Engineer Suleiman Abubakar Mahmoud Gummi, member Representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives; Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, Lawal Umar Maradun, and some principal officers in the state.