From Maiharaji Altine, Gusau
Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state said he would soon expose those behind the abduction of students of Government Secondary School Jangebe.
The Governor who was speaking to Punch when the students were released and brought to Government House today said, “I want the children to eat, be treated and then taken back to their respective places before I make the revelations”.
On the speculatons that, some money was paid to bandits as ransom before the release of the students, Matawalle said, ” Nothing was given to them”.
He said, “You can ask the repentant bandits who are right now here with us. They were the people who intervened and the children were released unconditionally”.
Reacting to his critics on his peace process with bandits, Matawalle said it was the only option left in the country.
“If we abandoned the peace process as what some people have been condemning or castigating me, we wouldn’t have achieved what was achieved today”.
He therefore called on other Governors in the country to also use dialogue and reconciliation with the bandits as the only solution to this ending the menace.
“I have already told them to subscribe to the peace process with the bandits because that is the only solution. Without the use of the repentant bandits who know others yet to repent, we would not be able to to secure the release of these students’.
