Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed says it is unfair to criticise the Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, for granting amnesty to bandits who once terrorised the North-West state.

The minister, who spoke on AIT’s ‘Kakaaki’ show monitored by The PUNCH, also said the Federal Government won’t stop governors from addressing the security challenges in ways peculiar to their respective states.

According to Mohammed, the nature of the problem differs from state to state and the governors as chief security officers of their various states were in the best position to deploy the best solutions to tackle the issues.



The PUNCH had earlier reported that the Zamfara State governor granted amnesty to Auwalun Daudawa, a notorious bandit who led scores of his gang members to abduct over 300 schoolboys from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, last year.

The amnesty programme which involves deradicalisation of criminals and their reintegration into the society has been embraced by the Federal Government and some state governments.

For instance, the Federal Government granted amnesty to 600 repentant Boko Haram terrorists last year, a development that attracted nationwide outrage with civil society organisations censuring the government for pampering ruthless and bloodthirsty marauders who were supposed to be punished after committing unprintable crimes in Nigeria’s North-East States, especially in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.



Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, also of late, faulted the proposition of renowned Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Abubakar Mahmoud Gumi, who after meeting with some bandits in Zamfara, asked the government to grant them amnesty like was done for militants in the Niger Delta region.

But speaking on Wednesday, the minister said there was nothing wrong with granting amnesty to criminals if the purpose was to restore desired peace in affected areas.





Mohammed said, “When you are fighting insurgency, you use both kinetic and non-kinetic (means). Granting amnesty to notorious drug barons, notorious militants is not a new thing, it is not unique to Nigeria.

“You need to be in the shoes of the Zamfara State government or governor to appreciate what are the issues at stake (and) why he has done that. Don’t also forget that the state governors are their own chief security officers.


“When you are dealing with insurgency, kidnapping, banditry, you are interested in the bigger picture; how do we restore peace? If granting amnesty to one notorious kidnapper is going to give me peace in my state, I might take that decision. If granting amnesty to one repentant warlord would help me capture a thousand bandits, I might take that decision. Don’t just look at what is in the public place, understand the very high complexity of managing insurgency and banditry.”

The minister further said there were conditions attached to granting amnesty to criminals, adding that the state governors were in the best position to determine who meets these conditions and who should be granted amnesty.

“The governor of a state understands the dynamics of the state and takes decision but it will be unfair of us to criticise him (Matawalle) without knowing what he did and I want to believe e governors work together with the security forces in their own state, so, it is not as we think,” he added.

https://punchng.com/criticising-zamfara-gov-for-granting-amnesty-to-bandits-unfair-lai-mohammed/

I can't be surprise

One good thing about mr lie topics is that you dont need to read it to confirm he will be saying trash as usual.

I dont take him serious.

Nnamdi Kanu was right. Nigeria is a zooooo.

Seh this Lai Mohammed man no even get an atom of shame ni?

Does it mean when you commit any crime in Northern Nigeria, the reward is amnesty?

helinues:
Seh this Lai Mohammed man no even get an atom of shame?

Na who I go ask?

You don't fight terorist by giving them amnesty, it's like trying to kill a dog by giving it bones, use the money to buy fire arms for our soldiers and watch them neutralize bokoharam within six months. Giving amnesty is also another form of encouraging terorism, so don't espect Nigerians to start claping for you for giving amnesty to terorists.

Immediately I saw Lia Mohammed, I already knew he will say nonsense as usual

GallantDuke:
Immediately I saw Lia Mohammed, I already knew he will say nonsense as usual

Do not allow Fola to read this.

Lalasticlala.

Problem of Nigeria in correct order

1. Buhari

2. Buharitards

3. Lai, Adesina, Garba

4. NL Buharitards.

I doubt if Nigeria will recover from the injuries they are inflicting.

Lol this foolish old idiot again

helinues:
Seh this Lai Mohammed man no even get an atom of shame ni?

Does it mean when you commit any crime in Northern Nigeria, the reward is amnesty?

This is exactly how we feel about you on nairaland

ok

Most of these people lack conscience.

Did Ibori or Igbinedion grant ND boys amnesty?

iwaeda:
Most of these people lack conscience.

There are six level of conscience in the Holy Book. The dead conscience is the worst. Our leaders are selected based on deadness of the conscience in the dark world. I strongly believe that.

Just imagine! Of course the government covert & overt support for bandits/terrorists is an open secret.

helinues:
Seh this Lai Mohammed man no even get an atom of shame ni?

Does it mean when you commit any crime in Northern Nigeria, the reward is amnesty?

You have played the good guy, now login to your remaining 9 BMC accounts and defend the move of Lai.

helinues:
Seh this Lai Mohammed man no even get an atom of shame ni? Does it mean when you commit any crime in Northern Nigeria, the reward is amnesty?

Sai baba zombiesm don tire you or you no want the BMC job again? Continue!

To every right thinking hardworking, tax paying Nigerian, the Government just called you a fool.

The Govt just called you stupid for trying to make an honest living..

Maybe it's time OPC and IPOB carry arms to bring equality to this mess.

Racoon:
Just imagine! Of course the government covert & overt support for bandits/terrorists is an open secret.

The reason they condemned IPOD but turned a blind eye for the northern elements.

CodeTemplar:
The reason they condemned IPOD but turned a blind eye for the northern elements.

Wicked souls! This is why this contraption of a nation will remain a shitty entity until we all go our different ways.I am so proud of the likes of late Maj.Kaduna Patrick Chukwuma Nzeogwu, Major Gideon Gwarza Orkar, who foresaw the future & intervene to save the situation.

However, Nigerians saw them as villains who were out to allegedly destabilize the country the but today reality is crystal clear.Nigeria is being ruled by bandits/ terrorists

Ok

CodeTemplar:
There are six level of conscience in the Holy Book. The dead conscience is the worst. Our leaders are selected based on deadness of the conscience in the dark world. I strongly believe that.

I can not agree less with you. Sometimes you wonder if this people have blood of humanity running in them.

I know all this boko haram, bandits n kidnappers thing in the north will lead to Amnesty....the same amount being paid to Niger delta militants!

Let them talk to their agberos.

Oloriburuku