Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has denied having any relationship with Musa Kamarawa, a confessed associate of the notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji.
The spokesman for the governor, Zailani Bappa, made this known on Wednesday while reacting to a photo of his principal with the bandit collaborator.
Bappa stated that the governor only took pictures with Kamarawa during a peace accord meeting in the state last year, adding that his principal does not have any connection with the Sokoto indigene.
He disclosed that the governor also took pictures with another notorious bandit kingpin, Auwalun Daudawa, who was part of the peace accord.
He said: “First, I think the uproar is not worth response but it is okay to respond. His Excellency engaged in dialogue with the bandits with good intentions because he was disturbed by the incessant killing of innocent people. Bandits were reached out to for dialogue and they answered. Guns and ammunition were turned in by the bandits. Not only the man in question but a lot of bandits and their collaborators were invited for discussion and most of them were seen by the public.
“It doesn’t mean Governor Matawalle has anything to do with Musa Kamarawa or any bandit collaborator because what he did was with the best of intentions and when he found out that they (bandits) were not serious about it, he backed out. I am sure you journalists can bear witness to the fact that we are no longer involved in the peace accord.”
Also reacting, spokesman for Governor Tambuwal, Muhammadu Bello, said there is no relationship between his principal and Kamarawa.
“There is no relationship between them. The picture was taken at the Sokoto State liaison office in Asokoro, Abuja. Kamarawa might have visited him like many Sokoto indigenes sometimes do at home, in Sokoto or elsewhere. I do not, however, know when exactly that picture was taken,” he said.
Source; Bibian Anekwe news
