The Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, has said he is ready to resign if that will end insecurity in the State.
He said this on Wednesday while responding to questions on the abduction of over 200 Jangebe schoolgirls by bandits in the state last week on Channel Television’s Politics Today programme.
Governor Matawalle said “I am ready to accept any solution that will bring security to my state.
“I am not intimidated. If I know that my resigning as a governor will make the people sleep with their two eyes closed, I can resign. I am ready to do what will bring security. I am not power-hungry. I have been having a sleepless night to protect the people of Zamfara State.”
The Governor, who said he had no issue with the no-fly-zone declared by the Federal Government, advised that the Security Council should have invited him before making some decisions.
He also clarified that the flight ban by the FG is not the same as declaring a state of emergency.
Matawalle explained that since insecurity is affecting many states in the northern part of the country, the ban should not have been declared in Zamfara only.
“Zamfara does not have an airport. Many people do not even know. How many times did you hear that an aircraft came to Zamfara?
“For the past eight years, we have not had anything like aircraft dropping weapons. It is just misinformation. Anybody with information should provide it. I support any move to promote safety. Ban on illegal mining is not my problem.
“I expect that the security council will invite me to give them information that can help before they took the decision.”
The Governor noted that security operatives had begun tracing some suspects, lamenting that some people asked the abductors not to release the schoolgirls.
He said, “Yes, the security operatives in the state are aware that when we are trying to rescue these children without paying any ransom, some people were asking the bandits not to release the schoolgirls, that ransom will be paid. This is sabotage to my Government.
Governor Matawalle added “The bandits asked the schoolgirls to greet a watchman for them. An investigation will be carried out and the people involved will be known.”
