Matawalle, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, said many practical gains had been recorded in the resolve to end oil theft in the Niger Delta region.

He also said the country was hopeful of producing 1.9 million barrels of crude oil per day before the end of the year.

“Before now, due to oil theft activities in the Niger Delta region, oil production dropped to about one million barrels per day.

But with the Federal Government’s actions and the onslaught of the combined military against oil thieves, the production stands at 1.7 million barrels per day currently.

“We are hoping that at the end of this year, we will reach about 1.9 million barrels per day,” he said.

He revealed that measures had been put together at the Naval headquarters to detect and know all that was happening in the stream and all maritime areas.

“We are taking serious actions. Operations have been conducted in that area. Most of the illegal panels were destroyed, most of the people were arrested and, with the level we are today, we are okay,” Matawalle said.

The defence minister said the administration of President Bola Tinubu had invested heavily in modern weapons and equipped the military well to bring an end to all forms of crimes, including banditry and oil theft.

“I just returned from a trip to Turkey and you need to see the attack helicopters that we acquired.

In fact, some of them are in Lagos now and it’s very special. And, as I said, this is not just for the Army alone, the Navy has its own, as well as the Air Force.

“So, with the coming of this government, the President has tried a lot by giving us all we need to work. So, we have no reason to complain and to fail Nigerians because, all we need, he has already provided for us.

“We have keyed into modern technology. We are ready for the challenges confronting us. Nigerians should be very proud of this government.

“We will be thrilled to work for the country. We want everyone to assess our performance steadily and come back here and thank the President, the Ministry of Defence, and our military for a job well done,” he said.

He added that the Nigerian soldiers were well prepared for modern challenges just as the nation had strong training institutions to ensure that those going to handle the equipment were well prepared to do so.

He revealed that some of the soldiers had gone for training, both within and outside the country, on handling the equipment before the equipment was brought.

“The institutions we have are capable. For example, if you go to the Defence College, you will see many people, including Germans.

“They send their army here to take training courses in our Defence College.

“Many other countries, including Japan, and some European countries, do the same.

“We have capable training institutions that can train the military, both inside and outside the country,” he said.

Speaking with Journalists in his residence in Talata-Mafara on Monday, Yari said he did not reconcile with Matawalle because of any political position.

He said, “I didn’t reconcile with Governor Matawalle simply because I want to attain a certain political position. But having thought of the implications of our sour relationship with the people of the state, I realise that, reconciliation is the best option.

“It is often said that when two elephants fight, it is the grass that will suffer, as such, we have decided to close our ranks and come together to move our state forward.”

He, therefore, called on his supporters to embrace the reconciliation process and work together with Matawalle’s loyalists in order to move the state forward.

Yari stressed that he would soon organise a town hall meeting with his supporters in order to enlighten them on the importance of the reconciliation.

Meanwhile, thousands of APC stakeholders have been trouping to the former governor’s residence to express their support for the reconciliation process.

Among those who visited Yari were the state and the federal lawmakers, the Secretary to the State Government, Head of Service and Commissioners.

Others were the Permanent Secretaries, Directors General and Heads of parastatals.

Until his appointment, Hassan was a Senator representing Zamfara Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly.

The appointment followed the impeachment of the ex-deputy governor by the state Assembly at its resumed plenary on Wednesday.

In a statement, the spokesperson for the Assembly, Mustafa Kaura, said the former deputy governor was found guilty of all the allegations levelled against him.

Kaura said, “The House found him guilty of the offences levelled against him which were submitted earlier today in the House and subsequently read at the floor of the chamber by the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Nasiru Mu’azu Magarya.Magarya told the plenary that the committee set up to investigate the former Deputy Governor found him guilty of all the charges levelled against him and directed his colleagues to proceed with individual voting of affirmation for the Deputy Governor to be impeached as required by the law.”

Kaura further stated, “20 out of 22 members voted in favour of the impeachment while the only PDP member of the House, Hon. Salihu Usman Zurmi, was conspicuously absent during today’s plenary. Having secured the required number of the votes as directed by the constitution, Speaker Magarya announced the impeachment of Barr Mahdi Aliyu Muhammad Gusau as the substantive Deputy Governor of the state.”

Fayemi said this during a visit he and other governors paid the Zamfara state governor, Bello Matawalle, on Tuesday, March 2, over the recent abduction of 279 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Talatu-Mafara LGA of Zamfara.

He said “I believe that Nigeria will be rid of this menace. We need more prayers, that is why I was also trying to encourage Mr Governor and our leaders to go for prayers first before we have this session because, yes it is work and prayer, but prayers will assist us in really reshaping the irrationality that has come upon us, where violence is seen as the solution to whatever problem that we have and violence never solves any problem.”

Matawalle issued the directive on Saturday in Gusau after receiving the new Ruga master plan from Emmanuel Ozigi, the project consultant.

He said “This project which is going to be located in the three senatorial districts of the state will be fully and jointly funded by the state government and the 14 local government councils of the state. It is also aimed at showcasing to the world that the peace process embarked by this administration is working. It is also to show the appreciation of the state government to the Fulanis and its commitment to meeting the yearnings of the Fulanis. The Ruga project will not only be beneficial to the Fulanis but all citizens of the state as the derivable benefits are enormous and a way of boosting the economy of the state and its citizens”