Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara says “political bandits” spread fake and unsubstantiated stories, about the massive killings in the State in recent times.

“But as I’ve been saying there are some political bandits who have been spreading lies, rumours so that they can achieve some political gains,” Mr Matawalle said while speaking with journalists after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday.

On the recent attacks in the state, where over 200 people were reportedly killed, the governor insisted that not more than 58 people were killed.

“I have already cleared the air about the figures. Because I have seen some reports that 200 people, 300 people, 500 people were killed.”

Sadiya Umar-Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development had last week confirmed that over 10,000 people were rendered homeless while scores were missing in fresh attacks on Zamfara communities where bandits killed over 200 citizens.

“More than 500 bandits on motorcycles reportedly attacked five villages and razed their homes after killing over 200 people,” she said in a statement by her media aide, Nneka Anibeze,” Mrs Umar-Farouq had said.

But the governor said “some people will just go to social media and be writing some figures and I have informed Mr President of some people who think that with this insecurity they can achieve something out of it.

“I wonder how people will just be writing figures without having genuine information from those communities.”

The governor further assured that the security challenges facing the state would soon be over following the assurances he got from the president.

“So, now I have come up with another solution and I have informed him but cannot disclose the details because details about security issues are not made public.

“But I assure the people of Zamfara that they will see changes very soon because the President is committed to finding a solution to this problem of insecurity and I assure my people that we have all it takes to fight these people.

“The President has motivated me and when I go back to Zamfara, I assure you, the people will see changes between now and Wednesday because I know what we discussed and I know what is going to happen within this period.”

(NAN)