When Bello Matawalle was Governor of Zamfara State, he introduced a controversial but noteworthy policy to address the rise of banditry and armed robbery. In 2020, the state government announced a “Cows-for-Guns” initiative, offering two cows for every rifle surrendered by repentant bandits.
The policy was designed to encourage criminals to disarm voluntarily, aiming to reduce violent attacks on communities without immediate military confrontation.
Officials explained that offering livestock instead of cash would:
Prevent the money from being used to purchase more weapons.
Encourage bandits to reintegrate into society through farming and livestock trade.
Comments