Nigeria's Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau has confirmed media reports that federal government met with dreaded herders' group, Myetti Allah, but said the assertion that money exchange hands between it and the group was a mere "fabrication of mischief makers’’.
While responding to questions from journalists in Zamfara on Monday, Dambazau said the crux of the meeting which held in Brinin, Kebbi state, was to see how Myetti Allah can be instrumental in FG's efforts at restoring peace in the country. "No issue of money was discussed at all, not to talk about giving them any," he said.
He added, “My visit to Zamfara today is in furtherance of that meeting to discuss with stakeholders and as you have seen, we are on course and confident that the issue of banditry in all the affected states is coming to an end,” he said.
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Earlier, the Minister told the Emir of Anka, Attahiru Ahmad, that he was in the state at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari to address insecurity.
He assured farmers that government would provide adequate security for them to farm without hindrance during the farming season.
Mr Ahmad, who is also the Chairman of the Council of Chiefs in the state, urged government to do more to resolve the crisis.
He explained that unless something strategic and effective was done, there would be no farming in the state during the year, adding that many villages had been deserted with more displaced women and children coming to the towns.
Mr Ahmad said at the moment, there were more than 16,000 internally displaced persons in Anka who had escaped bandits’ attacks from nearby villages.
