The Federal Government has assured that troops will clear the bandits in the Northwest to allow farmers to return to their farmlands during this year’s rainy season.
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, gave the assurance, while speaking with journalists at his country home, Maradun, the headquarters of the Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Some farmers in Zamfara and some of the states in Nigeria’s Northwest Geopolitical Zone, have been paying levies to bandits before they can access their farmlands.
This development has posed concern to the farmers as this year’s rainy season sets in, with some farmers raising the alarm that they have paid N50 million in levies to bandits to allow them access to their farmlands.
The assurance given by the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, that the troops will flush out the remnant of the bandits is capable of bringing relief to the farmers.
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Matawalle hinted that the Federal Government has procured war hardware for the troops to boost their ongoing offensive against the violent armed groups, and to restore peace, order and stability in the country.
The defence minister said that the President Tinubu-led administration is committed to improving the socio-economic development in the North, especially the Northwest, which informed the initiation and execution of road projects like the Zaria- Funtua-Gusau-sokoto ongoing dual carriageway and the Illela, in Sokoto State, to Lagos State in Southwest Nigeria.
(Editor Paul Akhagbemhe)
