Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle, has blasted the Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, saying that her claim of insecurity in the state was unfounded and profoundly unfair to his administration.
Recall that on Saturday, the minister was in the state for the distribution of the Federal Government’s COVID-19 palliative.
But, a few hours after landing, the minister cancelled the distribution and jetted out of the state, citing insecurity as the reason.
In his swift reaction, the governor, through his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Zailani Bappa, described the minister’s claim as unfounded, saying that the state has relatively been peaceful.
Mr Zailani, in a statement on Monday, said: “Indeed, Zamfara State is facing security challenges like most Nigerian states, but the effort of His Excellency, Governor Bello Mohammed has brought tremendous sanity to the state consistently over the last one year.
“Indeed, those who are familiar with the state today, including the Honourable Minister herself, are aware that the state is now free where everyone is now going about his or her daily business despite the hiccups being experienced such the one cited last week in Talata Mafara Local Government Area.
“Zamfara State Government wishes to categorically state that the level of insecurity in the state has never prevented any function, government or private since the inception of this administration one year ago,” the statement noted.
The governor also denied the claim that he snubbed the minister by refusing to host her on a courtesy call.
“To put the record straight, the Honourable Minister was in Zamfara state on Saturday and was duly received by His Excellency, Governor Bello Mohammed who provided her with the necessary accommodation and sent his Secretary to the State Government to welcome her.
“However, on Sunday, His Excellency, Governor Bello Mohammed was informed of the Minister’s decision to return to Abuja without performing the function that brought her to the state.
“It is, therefore, very uncharitable to allege that Governor Bello ‘snub’ her as was reported in some Media,” he said.
