Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has linked banditry and terrorism to some respected and powerful people in the State.

Matawalle said those respected and powerful people were sponsoring terrorists in the State.

He was reacting to the abduction of five female students of the College of Health Science and Technology, in Tsafe area of the State by bandits.

The Governor disclosed that bandits have recruited some residents of the State as informants.

Matawalle’s remark was contained in a statement signed by his Media Aide, Zailani Bappa.

He said: “Strong facts indicate that the recurrence of banditry in the State is aided and abetted mostly by powerful indigenes. Some of these people are strong personalities who the people respect.

“There are also, among the generality of the citizens, people who receive paltry sums of money to serve as informants to bandits.”

Zamfara has been one of the States affected by the activities of bandits.