By Akinwale Kasali
A Group under the aegis of Zamfara Good Governance Network, ZGGN, has slammed Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State over his remarks on banditry in the State.
The Group criticised Governor Lawal over a viral video in which he claimed that banditry in the State would end within two months if he had control over security agencies.
The Governor had stated that he knew where the Bandits are, and said the situation would be different if allowed to take charge of the Security Agencies and Security apparatus in the State.
The Governor said that it saddens him that the Security Agencies take orders from Abuja, adding that Banditry will become history in the State if he is given absolute power to take charge.
But condemning his remarks, the Group said it was an insult to the Nigeria Military and a betrayal of the people of Zamfara.
It further accused Governor Lawal of playing politics with lives after nearly three years in office.
In the undated video that circulated widely days ago, the Governor speaking in Hausa, said he had bought 150 Vehicles for Security Agencies but could not direct their use, stressing that orders and directives come from Abuja, at his own expense
He added that he had access to tracking devices that revealed the daily movements of Bandits, insisting that if he had the authority to command the Security Forces, the menace would end in two months.
Murtala Abdullahi, President of the Group, reacting to the Governor said the statement was not only reckless, but shameful.
“This is a Governor who campaigned on the promise of ending insecurity in Zamfara and rode on that sentiment to secure his mandate.
“Now, almost three years into his administration, he is telling the world that he can solve the problem in two months if only he had control of security agencies. This is not just laughable, it is an affront to the gallant men and women of our armed forces who continue to make sacrifices in Zamfara”, Abdullahi said.
The Group further accused Governor Lawal of deliberately undermining Federal efforts to tackle banditry in the State, pointing to his own admission that he knows the exact locations of criminal gangs but has not shared such intelligence with the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, the Department of State Services, DSS, or the Military High Command.
“Governor Lawal has openly confessed to knowing where bandits are located and even claimed he can track their movements on his phone. Yet, rather than handing this information to the appropriate authorities, he is sitting on it, while innocent villagers are being massacred and abducted on a daily basis. That is nothing short of complicity,” Abdullahi declared.
He further accused the governor of hypocrisy, noting that while Lawal laments a lack of control over security agencies, he personally moves around the State with a heavily armed convoy, including personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and other Paramilitary outfits.
“Whereas he enjoys full protection with sophisticated equipment and Military-grade vehicles, his comrades in arms are out there killing ordinary citizens. The governor has created for himself a cocoon of safety while failing to protect the very people he swore an oath to defend. His claim that he has no control is belied by the very visible security detail he commands daily within Zamfara,” Abdullahi said.
The ZGGN described the situation as a compromise too grave to ignore, warning that Zamfara could not continue to drift under a Governor it accused of failing to provide leadership in the face of escalating violence.
“With this level of compromise, it is only wise that the President declares a State of Emergency in Zamfara. This administration has failed woefully to deliver on its most basic duty, which is the protection of lives and property. The earlier the President acts, the better for the people of Zamfara who are being killed on a daily basis”, Abdullahi stated.
The group highlighted recent attacks that have left dozens dead and hundreds abducted in local government areas such as Bukkuyum and Kaura Namoda, arguing that the scale of bloodshed had reached intolerable levels.
“It is shameful that instead of providing solutions, the governor is busy issuing excuses. Just in August alone, more than 24 people were killed in Kaura Namoda, 16 injured, and 144 abducted. A week later, 100 villagers were taken from Bukkuyum, with two killed. What Zamfara needs is decisive leadership, not a governor who cries on camera while admitting he has the intelligence to end banditry but chooses not to act”, Abdullahi said.
The ZGGN called on civil society organisations, religious leaders, and community groups to raise their voices in demanding accountability from the governor, warning that silence in the face of repeated attacks would only embolden the criminals.
“Our people cannot continue to be sacrificial lambs on the altar of weak leadership. Governor Lawal must stop hiding behind excuses and start delivering results. If he cannot, then let the federal government step in to take control and rescue Zamfara from total collapse”,Abdullahi concluded.
