GUSAU- The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has condoled with the family of the late Chief Imam of Maru Central Juma’at Mosque, Alkali Sulaiman, where he donated N5 million, 10 bags of rice and other foodstuffs.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the late cleric was abducted by bandits who later killed him alongside two of his children.
This is contained in a statement issued in Gusau on Friday by the State APC Publicity Secretary, Malam Yusuf Idris.
According to Idris, the minister was represented at the condolence visit in Maru town by a delegation led by the State Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ibrahim Dangaladima.
Matawalle prayed Allah to forgive the deceased and give his immediate families as well as the people of Maru town and Maru Emirate the fortitude to bear the loss.
He announced the cash donation, 10 bags of rice, 10 cartons each of spaghetti and macaroni to the bereaved family.
Matawalle lamented how banditry was recently taking a new dimension in the state where religious leaders were being targeted.
He assured that his ministry would continue to deploy more personnel to the state in order to completely eliminate the criminals.
The minister said that rhe Federal Government, under President Bola Tinubu was taking all the necessary steps to end banditry in the North-West region.
He further explained that the resident had provided all the necessary equipment to the military, vowing, “soon, we will ensure the return of peace in the region.”
Matawalle called on the citizens to assist the security agencies with accurate intelligence in order to win the war against banditry and other criminalities
He said that security required every well-meaning citizen’s support irrespective of political or religious inclinations.
Matawalle emphasised the need for synergy with state governments in the North-West region with the Federal Government to bring total shutdown against the bandits and their terrible inhumane activities.
Receiving the delegation, the Emir of Maru, Alhaji Abubakar Gado-Maigari, described the minister’s visit and gesture as a great relief to the deceased’s family and the people of the emirate.
Gado-Maigari thanked the minister for his magnanimity to the people of the state and urged him not to relent in doing so. (NAN)
