The Zamfara State Killing Field

RingTrue By Yemi Adebowale

Phone 08054699539

When Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last July for the All Progressives Congress (APC), he declared that the issue of insecurity in his state would be effectively tackled with his membership of the party running the show at the federal level. While announcing his defection, Matawalle expressed confidence that Zamfara State would experience growth and all the dividends of democracy; that killings and kidnapping would become history in the state.

At the rally in Gusau to celebrate his voyage to the APC, Matawalle danced like a masquerade. “Politics is about interest and confidence. Many of the politicians have changed from one party to another, so it is not a new thing and I decided to change so that I can bring more peace to my state. I believe we will get more troops to come and flush out the criminals. I assure you that you’ll see a lot of changes, because we will get more improvement on each facility that we have,” avowed the Zamfara governor.

Unfortunately, nothing has changed in Zamfara State in terms of improved security and welfare for the people, 15 months after Matawalle’s bizarre defection to the APC. The state remains a killing field with scores murdered daily by terrorists. The defection was just razzmatazz to satisfy this governor’s egocentric tendencies. Back then, the Zamfara State Governor knew that so many APC-controlled states were also experiencing massive attacks by terrorists and the government at the centre couldn’t help them. Instead of finding a way around this challenge, Matawalle elected to play politics with the security of his people.

The pummeling of Zamfara State by terrorists worsened under Matawalle’s membership of the ruling APC. Nine days back, he cried out piercingly.

According to a statement by one of Matawalle’s aides last week, killings and kidnappings persist in Gusau, Tsafe, Gummi, Bukkuyum, Anka Bungudu, Maru, Maradun and Kaura Namoda local government areas. In fact, the governor had to completely shut two local government areas – Anka and Bukkuyum – while hoping that security agencies would take advantage of the total restriction to checkmate the terrorists.

Roads leading to some towns and villages consistently attacked by terrorists were also closed indefinitely by Matawalle. They include Colony to Lambar Boko, Bakura to Lambar-Damri, Mayanchi-Daki Takwas to Gummi, Daki Takwas to Zuru, Kucheri-Bawaganga–Wanke, Magami to Dangulbi and Gusau to Magami. Also closed were Danjibga and Bagega markets, where terrorists allegedly trade in cattle.

All political activities in the state were likewise suspended indefinitely by the Zamfara governor, “as part of measures to enable the gallant security men conduct their operations without hindrances.”

No doubt, Zamfara State is in a big mess. Terrorists roam freely almost everywhere unhindered. Matawalle met the state in a very bad situation in terms of security, but Zamfara deteriorated greatly under him. The blood of innocent people flows freely daily. Matawalle’s inability to manage the fighting between Fulani herders and Hausa farmers compounded the security crisis. The slaughtering in Zamfara is largely a product of the unending dispute between Fulani herders and Hausa farmers. Fulani militias fight for the herders while Yan Zakai retaliates for farmers.

I will never forget how Fulani militias invaded Kadawa Village, in Zurmi Local Government Area (March last year) and killed 93 people. Within three days in April last year, 80 people were killed by Fulani militias and in counter killings by Yan Sakai in series of attacks in four villages – Gobirawa, Rini, Gora, and Madoti Dankule – all in Bakura and Maradun LGAs.

Even in Matawalle’s Maradun LGA, Fulani militias enjoy a free rein. At a point, this year, they decreed that there must no longer be farming in Faru village of the LG. Faru farmers that refused to heed this pronouncement were dealt a solid blow. No fewer than seven of them were killed in their farmlands. The militias have been terrorising the village since the beginning of this year’s rainy-season farming.

I am not sorry to say that Matawalle aided terrorism by heaping money on Fulani militias in the name of amnesty. The terrorists got enough money to buy more than the weapons submitted. That’s what Matawalle was doing for the militias for almost two years, until he stopped last year. This governor pumped huge money into this useless amnesty that encouraged more militias to join the flourishing “business” of killing and kidnapping in Zamfara State.

At one point, Matawalle was even justifying lawlessness by the terrorists. Can you imagine a governor saying “most of the bandits take up arms due to the injustice to them by some members of the society?” That was what Matawalle said back then. The Zamfara governor added: “If you investigate what is happening, and what made them to take the laws into their hands, some of them, sometimes were cheated by the so-called vigilante groups. They normally go to their settlements and destroy property and take their animals. They did not have anyone to speak with, so sometimes, they go for revenge. When vigilante groups attack them, they go for reprisals. That is exactly what happened.”

That was the day I gave up on this governor. At a point, I was convinced that Matawalle was enjoying the game of terror that was, daily, claiming scores of lives in his state. Last January, he said the terror would not end soon because “some people are behind it.” What Matawalle was telling Nigerians was that the people behind terror attacks are bigger than federal and Zamfara State governments combined. His other unending story is that his government “is investigating those collaborating with terrorists in the state with a view to fishing them out and punishing them.” Matawalle has been saying this for over three years. Not a single terror leader has been fished out and punished. It seems he is now tired of this hackneyed story.

On the terror attacks in Bukuyyum and Anka local government areas of Zamfara, early this year, that claimed an estimated 200 lives, Matawalle similarly chose to play politics with the death figures. He declared that only 58 people were killed, as if he was not talking about human lives. He avowed: “First, we went to Bungudu and we confirmed from the emir that only 36 people were killed and two communities were razed by these bandits, and when we went to Anka, we met the emir, and he gave us a list of 22 people that were killed, making a total number of 58 people killed. But as I’ve been saying, there are some political bandits who have been spreading lies, rumours so that they can achieve some political gain.”

This governor should be worried by the killing of just one of his citizens by terrorists; more so, according to his own record, 58 people killed. Of course, Matawalle was just trying to play down the number of fatalities. The 200 death figures from Bukuyyum and Anka had independent verifications. The people directly affected also confirmed the figures.

With the actions taken last week, it seems Matawalle is now interested in fighting terrorism in Zamfara. He can reduce killings by first finding a political solution to unending clashes involving Fulani herders and Hausa farmers. He must not be seen backing Fulani militias as currently happening. The Zamfara State governor should also put pressure on the President and the military to truly tackle terrorism in the state. This idea of fantasy bombing of terrorists in the state must end. I’m usually disturbed whenever the military report raids in Zamfara without ground troops mopping up. We hardly see the vanquished terrorists.

Gov Umahi Misusing Ebubeagu

Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State is still using the state’s security outfit, Ebubeagu to harass political opponents. The list of preys is growing daily. The latest political opponent to fall victim is Labour Party’s Senatorial candidate for Ebonyi South, Linus Okorie. The “crime” committed against Umahi is Okorie’s growing popularity in Ebonyi South, where the governor is also running for the senatorial ticket under APC. This week, Umahi unleashed Ebubeagu on Okorie for “dealing in hard drugs” in his night club. What is the business of Ebubeagu with drug traffickers? Has Ebubeagu taken over the responsibility of NDLEA?

Even the Ebonyi State Police Command is working closely with Umahi in this dangerous business. Can you imagine the police defending his kidnap, saying Okorie was abducted because he did not respond to previous invitations by Ebubeagu to answer questions on dealing in hard drugs and other offences? The police that could not arrest Okorie, after their own invitation, eventually traced him to the head office of the Ebubeagu Security Outfit at the Old Government House, Abakaliki, last Monday. What a country!

Aside from “dealing in hard drugs”, other allegations against Okorie, as presented by the police, are spreading fake news against Umahi and “activities/utterances that provoked the violence that engulfed Onicha in 2021.” For now, Okorie is languishing at Abakaliki prison. He was arraigned in a Magistrate court and remanded.

Many will remember how Umahi recently harassed and dehumanised PDP’s Publicity Secretary in the state, Chika Nwoba, “for circulating fake news in the social media.” Nwoba was punching holes in the rambling administration of Umahi, with facts and figures. The badly shaken Umahi decided to send Ebubeagu after Nwoba. He was arrested, thoroughly beaten and handed over to the police.

Enough of Umahi brutalising opponents with Ebubeagu. This must not continue in Ebonyi. I’m also appealing to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba to caution the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Garba, who is being used by the governor to intimidate opponents.

Foreign Airlines Exploiting Nigerians

The exploitation of Nigerians by foreign airlines has been on for too long. This came to the fore again this week in Abuja when the House of Representatives hosted a meeting to find a way out of foreign airlines’ trapped funds. The truth is that Nigerians pay more than Westerners (even more than some African countries) for flights of similar distance. For instance, it is cheaper to travel from New York to London, a distance of over eight hours, than from Lagos to London, a distance of about six hours. Their hidden excuse for charging Nigerian more is that it takes a long time to repatriate tickets revenues from Nigeria.

At the forum in Abuja, the Chairman of a Nigeria airline demanded for the exchange rate used by foreign airlines to calculate fares for Nigerians. He alleged that they currently charge, using parallel market rate, which is about the N740/$ now, and thereafter, compel the CBN to offer them forex at official exchange rate (now about N447) while repatriating revenue.

The way forward is simple. Foreign airlines should be allowed to sell tickets in USD. It will be win-win for everybody. Competition along this line will push down fares. Travellers will get a good deal. The pressure on the CBN to provide forex at official rate, to cover ticket sales of these airlines will also end. As at yesterday, the foreign airlines were still waiting for the CBN to give them $700 million at official rate. This garbage must stop.