I will hit hard on sponsors of banditry ―Matawalle

Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has declared total face-off with any person or group found either sponsoring, aiding, or abetting bandits in the state.

The governor made the declaration on Thursday when he received the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Saddique Baba Abubakar, who was on an official visit to the Government House, Gusau.

Matawalle expressed anger towards some “mischief-makers who have formed the habit of transmitting false information and making heroes out of criminal elements.”

He said his administration would no longer treat such “blood thirsty individuals” with kid glove.

He said, “The state government in collaboration with security agents have effectively been using kinetic and non-kinetic approach in addressing security issues, but with the realization of the increasing criminal intents of those aiding the bandits, the government is left with no other option than to appropriately hit hard at such persons in order to put a complete stop on their activities.”

Governor Matawalle said a mechanism has been put in place to monitor the activities of all suspected criminally-minded people in the state and will not hesitate to take drastic action against them.

Earlier, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Saddique Abubakar informed the governor that he was in the state to assess facilities at the 207 Quick Response Unit of the Nigeria Air Force, Gusau with a view to commence the deployment of addition air assets to Gusau as directed by President Buhari.