Zamfara Group Faults Gov Lawal Over Banditry Comment

The Zamfara Good Governance Network (ZGGN) has criticised Governor Dauda Lawal over a viral video in which he claimed that banditry in the state could be ended within two months if he had direct control of security agencies.

The group described the governor’s comments as an insult to the Nigerian military and a betrayal of citizens, accusing him of playing politics with insecurity despite nearly three years in office.

In the video, which circulated widely this week, the governor said he had purchased 150 vehicles for security agencies but could not issue orders on their use, stressing that directives could only come from Abuja. He also claimed to have access to tracking devices that reveal the daily movements of bandits, insisting that if he had authority over the forces, the crisis would be resolved within weeks.

Reacting in Gusau on Friday, ZGGN president, Murtala Abdullahi, described the statement as reckless and a disservice to the armed forces.

“This is a governor who campaigned on the promise of ending insecurity in Zamfara. 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,” Abdullahi said.

The group further accused Lawal of undermining federal efforts to tackle banditry by withholding intelligence. It pointed to his admission that he could track bandits’ locations but had not shared such information with the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, or the military.

Abdullahi also faulted what he described as hypocrisy, noting that while the governor complains about lacking control, he personally moves around with a heavily armed convoy guarded by multiple security agencies.

“Whereas he enjoys full protection with sophisticated equipment and military-grade vehicles, ordinary citizens continue to fall victim. The governor has created a cocoon of safety for himself while failing to protect the people he swore to defend,” he said.

The group warned that Zamfara could not continue under what it called a “compromised administration,” urging President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the state.

“With this level of failure, it is only wise that the President declares a state of emergency. The people of Zamfara are being killed daily, and this administration has failed woefully to deliver on its most basic duty of protecting lives and property,” Abdullahi said.

The ZGGN cited recent attacks in Bukkuyum and Kaura Namoda Local Government Areas that left dozens dead and hundreds abducted as evidence of the escalating crisis.

“It is shameful that instead of providing solutions, the governor is busy issuing excuses. Just in August, 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 excuses,” Abdullahi added.

The group also called on civil society organisations, religious leaders, and community groups to demand accountability from the state government, warning that silence would only embolden criminals.

“Our people cannot continue to be sacrificial lambs on the altar of weak leadership. If Governor Lawal cannot deliver, then the federal government must step in to rescue Zamfara from total collapse,” the statement read.