Mattawalle denies claim of Lakurawa bandits in Zamfara

Minister of Defence (State) Bello Mattawalle has denied claim that Lakurawa bandits were in Zamfara State.

Recall that, the Zamfara state police commissioner Mohammed Shehu Dalijan said the Lakurawa bandits were responsible for the explosive devices that killed some people in the state some weeks ago.

Addressing journalists in his residence in Gusau town Zamfara capital on Sunday night, Matawalle said, it was not true that Lakurawa bandits had been in the state.

He maintained that they (Lakurawa) were from the Mali Republic and were forced to return to their country by the military.

He stressed that they were not even in Kebbi State as earlier reported by the media.

According to Matawalle, they were dealt with squarely by the military and were forced to return to their country.

“I want to make it clear that, we have no Lakurawa in any part of the country, not even in Zamfara or Kebbi State”.

Matawalle commended the efforts of President Bola Tinubu in the fight against banditry, calling on all Nigerians to support his administration.

He also applauded the effort of the President in building a new Nigeria through his policies and programs.

“I want to draw the attention of all Nigerians, particularly the northerners to give their maximum support and cooperation to his administration.

“The construction of Zaria-Sokoto road and Illela-Badagry road is one of the projects currently being carried out by Tinubu administration.”

“The lifting of the ban on mining is another effort of Mr. President to develop the north. So I don’t know why some people are criticizing him and calling him anti-North”.

“I want you to forget about the negative propaganda of some people who are not wishing his administration well because of political differences,” Matawalle averred.