Governor of Zamfara State Bello Muhammad Mutawalle, on Tuesday, said he would grant amnesty to one hundred Fulani prison inmates as part of the ongoing peace process in the state.
The Fulani, who are being held in Gusau prison for offences connected to armed banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling would be released before the end of the week.
The Governor disclosed this when he received representatives of the Fulani community who are at the center of the peace process with their kinsmen in the forest.
The Governor lamented the status of the Fulani nowadays, not only in Zamfara, but in the country at large where they are now termed as terrorists worst than Boko Haram.
He promised to work in line with his determination to save the Fulani from themselves and from the wrath of the larger society.
“I am one of you and I know you are not terrorists. What is happening today has a cause and we are determined to address it with your cooperation”, he said.
As a measure of addressing the problem, Mutawalle said the meeting held by governors of North-West states in Katsina last week outlawed vigilante otherwise known as “Yan Sakai”.
Governor Mutawalle called on all the Fulani in the state to disregard anyone who goes around telling them that the Government was not sincere about the peace process.
“You can see now you are here not only in Gusau, but the Government House. Nobody will arrest or harm you. Our aim is to have lasting peace in our dear state”, he pointed out.
Earlier, the representatives of the Fulani, who spoke through an elder, Baba Alhaji Bello commended the forthrightness of the Governor and his proven honesty and commitment to the peace process.
Alhaji Bello promised that all the known bandits would listen to the new sermon and surrender their weapons, adding that, as elders, they had the listening ears of the armed men.
He assured that the Fulani in the state would adhere to all rules governing new peace pact and ensure a lasting peace in the state.
