The Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar, and his State counterpart, Bello Matawalle, have denied allegations that the Federal Government was secretly negotiating with bandits in Zamfara State.
A statement credited to the Zamfara State governor, Dauda Lawal, had alleged that the federal government was bargaining with the Zamfara terrorists to secure the release of abducted persons without the knowledge of the state government.
The Ministers of Defence and State for Defence issued a joint statement expressing confidence in the joint security task force’s ongoing efforts to rescue the abducted female students and others from the Federal University Gusau. They emphasized that the allegation of secret negotiations was false and misleading, and they clarified that the Ministry had not authorized anyone or any group to negotiate on behalf of the Federal Government.
The ministers also highlighted the recent success in securing the release of 13 abducted students and 3 others through the professional efforts of the military and security agencies. They reiterated the commitment of the government to secure the release of all those who were abducted.
The statement aimed to address the concerns raised by the Zamfara State governor and provide assurance about the ongoing efforts to combat insecurity in the region.