Banditry: Mutawalle to pardons 100 Fulani prison inmates as part of Zamfara peace deal

Zamfara State Governor Bello Mutawalle, on Tuesday, said he would grant amnesty to one hundred Fulani prison inmates as part of the ongoing peace process in the state.

The Fulani (bandits), who are being held in Gusau prison for offences connected to armed attacks and killings, kidnapping and cattle rustling would be released before the end of the week.

Mutawalle disclosed this when he received representatives of the Fulani community who are at the center of the peace process, representing their kinsmen in the forest.

He regretted the picture being painted of the Fulani nowadays, not only in Zamfara, but in the country at large where they are now referred to, as terrorist’s worst than Boko Haram.

Pledging his determination to save the Fulani from themselves and from the wrath of the larger society, the governor said, “I am one of you and I know you are not terrorists. What is happening today has a cause and we are determined to address it with your cooperation”.

Towards containing the problem, Mutawalle said the meeting held by governors of North-West states in Katsina last week outlawed vigilante otherwise known as “Yan Sakai”.

He urged all the Fulani in the state to disregard anyone who goes around telling them that the Government was not sincere about the peace process.

“You can see now you are here not only in Gusau, but the Government House. Nobody will arrest or harm you. Our aim is to have lasting peace in our dear state”, he said.

Representatives of the Fulani commended the forthrightness of the Governor and his proven honesty and commitment to the peace process.

Speaking through one of their elders, Alhaji Bello Bello, they promised that all the known bandits would listen to the new sermon and surrender their weapons, saying that, as elders, they had the listening ears of the armed men.

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