The governor of Zamfara State, Bello-Mohammed-Matawalle has said the government took the decision to negotiate with the bandits so as to end the insecurity in the state and allow the people to go about their normal activities without fear.

The governor stated these during a visit to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, at the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters late on Thursday.

recall that bandits commanders in Birnin-Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara agreed to suspend attacks on the people at a dialogue meeting with the state government and security officials, saying that the coast was now clear for all those displaced by attacks to return home in an agreement that was reached at the palace of the Emir of Birnin-Magaji.

Matawalle, according to a release by the air force on Friday, said the negotiations with the bandits were to “immediately end all forms of insecurity in the state so that the people of Zamfara could go about their normal activities without fear.”

Matawalle noted that it had been over three weeks since any attack was recorded in the state, adding that the pressure mounted on the criminals by the military through air and ground assaults had helped in halting the attacks on villages.

He said, “Markets, which were hitherto closed for years, have since been reopened and several captives have regained their freedom. We thank the leadership of the NAF and its personnel for their contributions to the gradual restoration of normalcy to the state.

“I plead that additional support in the areas of community development and provision of health care services be given to help alleviate the shortfall in amenities caused by many years of banditry attacks.”