However, the governor said he was sad when he realised some powerful people in government were backing the criminals which made the court to release them on bail. 

The Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal has lamented that some powerful people in the government are backing terrorists in the country.

The governor stated this while speaking at the Zamfara State High Court of Justice, narrating how some terrorists arrested by his government were released on bail by the court in Abuja despite making confessions.

He said the arrested terrorists had confessed to killing many residents and were caught with guns and other weapons. He said after their arrest, his government handed them over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.

However, the governor said he was sad when he realised some powerful people in government were backing the criminals which made the court to release them on bail. 

“We arrested the bandits, and they confessed that they killed people and had weapons in their hands.

“We handed them over to the authorities and they were taken to court,” the governor said.

He continued: “However, we received news yesterday that they were granted bail in Abuja.

“They have already freed them. There is assurance that if they bring them to court, they will be freed. What will happen to you will happen to people closer to you and your loved ones and you will be watching.

“If I don’t perform my role as governor, God will ask and God will be angry with me. We will arrest bandits and someone sitting in his house will order that they should be released. Who knows who will be the next victim of banditry?”

Meanwhile, just last week, the police commissioner in the state, Muhammad Dalijan, announced the arrest of a member of the State House of Assembly and a former local government chairman in connection with banditry in the state.

Dalijan stated this last Wednesday while hosting the officer in charge of the Counterterrorism Unit, under the United Nations Office On Drugs and Crime, Thomas Parker, at the command headquarters in Gusau, the state capital.

The commissioner, however, failed to reveal the names of the lawmaker and former council boss arrested in connection with the crime.