Zamfara govt declares death sentence for bandits, informants, cultists

Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has approved the death sentence for anyone found guilty of banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, cultism, or serving as a bandits’ informant in the state.

Matawalle made the announcement in a broadcast on Tuesday morning.

“Based on the new law, anyone found guilty of banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, cultism, or serving as a bandits’ informant is subject to the death penalty.

“Similarly, anyone found guilty of supporting in any manner the aforementioned offences faces a sentence of life in prison, 20 years in jail, or ten years in prison, without the option of a fine,” Matawalle said.

He explained that the new law was adopted as part of efforts to tame the menace of banditry experienced in the state and the northwestern region in general.

The Zamfara Governor noted that the new measures are already yielding the intended results irrespective of the pockets of attacks experienced in the state in recent times.

Matawalle further revealed that many informants hindering the fight against banditry in the state have been apprehended and undergoing trial in accordance with the extant laws of the land.