Zamfara governor distributes 260 brand new Cadillacs to traditional rulers across the state

GOVERNOR Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has distributed 260 luxury cars to traditional rulers across the state despite his recent criticism in which he blamed them for aggravating the security and humanitarian crisis in the territory.

Of late, Zamfara gas been one of the states worst affected by banditry as heavily armed hoodlums have terrorised vast swathes of the state. Overwhelmed by the crisis, Governor Matawalle has blamed the emirs in the state for aiding the terrorists carrying out this campaign of violence.

In a shock development yesterday, however, Governor Matawalle distributed 260 Cadillac luxury cars to these traditional rulers. Many communities in Zamfara State now pay protection taxes to these gunmen and those that refuse or cannot pay up are attacked, have their livestock rustled, get their farms destroyed and are either killed or abducted.

Governor Matawalle has also blamed some local chiefs for setting up their own vigilantes, which he said are provoking a vicious cycle of reprisal attacks. In October 2019, a committee set up by the governor to proffer solutions to the violence in the state stated that some traditional rulers were colluding with bandits and recommended their dethronement.

This committee, headed by a former inspector-general of police Mohammad Abubakar, also disclosed the bandits had collected over N3bn as ransoms from the families of abducted persons in the state. Governor Matawalle  is yet to implement most of the recommendations of his own committee.

Zailani Bappa, Governor Matawalle's spokesperson, said, however, that the governor dethroned two first-class emirs for supporting bandits. He added that the car gifts were part of the efforts of the state government to solve the lingering security challenges in the state.

Mr Bappa pointed out that in the same vein, the government gave 200 Toyota Hilux vehicles to security agencies in the state to aid their operations. He added: “Traditional rulers are playing critical roles in the security of the state and the car donations will also strengthen their efforts to address the challenges.

“The car donations from the Zamfara State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs was part of the responsibilities of the government being delivered to the traditional rulers just as other government ministries are also doing without people saying nothing. The government has completed and will commission 147 primary healthcare centres in all the political wards across the 14 local government areas.

“The government has constructed 1,000 classroom blocks across the state and employed 600 teachers. The car distribution has not in any way stop other developmental projects the government has embarked upon.”

Governor Matawalle said the gifts were a gesture to recognise the status of the traditional institutions as the custodians of religion, culture and vehicles of cohesion and peace in the state. He added: “It is in view of the high esteem with which my administration regards our traditional leaders and institutions that we decided to procure brand new cars, Cadillac 2019 model, for 17 emirs, 13 senior district heads and 230 district heads across the state.”