Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has stated that his administration’s decision not to negotiate with bandits is yielding positive results.
He made this remark on Thursday while receiving the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar, who visited the state to offer condolences following the accidental bombing of civilians by the air component of Operation Fansan Yamma.
Governor Lawal noted that peace was gradually returning to Zamfara and reiterated his administration’s firm stance against engaging in discussions with bandits.
“We are clear about our stance. We have made it known to every listening ear that we are not ready and will never negotiate with bandits.
“You can all attest that our position is paying off, as we are beginning to see results with peace gradually returning to Zamfara,” he said.
The governor also praised security forces for their quick response to distress calls, acknowledging their efforts in tackling insecurity in the state.
“I want to express my appreciation to the Chief of the Air Staff, who, before his visit today, sent a strong delegation led by one of the most senior officers from the headquarters to commiserate with us and the people of Zamfara,” he noted.
Speaking about the recent airstrike incident, Governor Lawal assured the Air Marshal of his continued cooperation with security forces. He also revealed that Zamfara State was building an airport and appealed for an air force hangar within the facility to ensure a faster response to security emergencies.
“Let me inform the Air Marshal that we are constructing an airport in Zamfara. We are appealing to have an air force hangar within the airport after completion for swift response to emergency situations,” he said.
In response, Air Marshal Abubakar appreciated the governor for his handling of the accidental airstrike. He recalled that the air operation was based on intelligence reports about bandit activity in Gidan Makera, Maradun Local Government Area.
“You may recall that on January 11, 2025, airstrikes were carried out in Zamfara following an intelligence report of bandit activity in Gidan Makera in Maradun LGA.
“The area was targeted in pursuit of the terrorists associated with bandit Bello Turji. However, a few days after the strike, there was a news report claiming that the airstrike had mistakenly hit members of a vigilante group.”
Abubakar explained that, upon hearing the allegation, he immediately set up a fact-finding committee to investigate the matter. The investigation confirmed that 11 members of the local vigilante group were unintentionally killed in the strike.
“Our visit this morning is to express our sympathy to you, the families of the victims, and the good people of Zamfara regarding the tragic incident,” he said.
