By ISHAQ ZAKI

The Zamfara government says it has not embarked on negotiating with bandits to address security challenges bedeviling the state.

The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Nakwada, disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Gusau on Tuesday.

He noted that the present administration of Gov. Dauda Lawal had no intention of reconciling with bandits.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that there were speculations going round that the state government had embarked on secret reconciliation process with bandits.

“The present administration of Lawal has no intention of negotiating with criminals.

“We are prepared to work in collaboration with security agencies in the fight against insecurity,” Nakwada explained.

The SSG lamented that the immediate past administration of former governor Bello Matawalle in the state, wasted billions of naira on projects that had no direct bearing on the common man.

He noted that the state government would follow legal processes to recover all misappropriated funds by the past administration.

He called on people of the state to continue to support government on its policies and programmes toward addressing security challenges and reducing socio economic hardship in the state.

Nakwada announced Lawal’s directives of suspending all permanent secretaries and traditional rulers appointed by the immediate past administration after the 2023 general elections. (NAN)