Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has expressed deep concern over the ongoing banditry in the North-Western state, attributing the crisis to political interference.
Speaking during a townhall event on Channels Television to mark Nigeria’s 25th Democracy Day in Abuja on Wednesday, Lawal lamented the tragic loss of human lives due to the situation.
“As the chief security officer of my state, I have the title but lack the command and control over the security outfits, including the military, police, or civil defence,” Lawal stated. “They take their instructions from their superiors, not from the governors. We don’t have that control; I wish we did; it would have been a different story.”
Lawal emphasized that the security situation in Zamfara has not improved due to what he termed political interference. He asserted that the security agencies possess the capability to eradicate criminal elements across the country if not for political meddling.
“Political interference is the major factor here. If we don’t have that, the military have the capacity to crush anybody. Remember, we do have our forces in Liberia, Sierra Leone and they did very well,” Lawal pointed out.
The governor expressed confidence that banditry and other security challenges could be resolved within two weeks if there is political will. He highlighted the severe impact of bandit activities, which involve raiding villages, killing residents, and burning homes.
These criminal gangs operate from camps in a vast forest spanning Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger states and have been responsible for mass kidnappings of students in recent years.
Banditry in the northwest is one of the significant security challenges Nigerian authorities are grappling with. Despite being financially motivated, there are growing concerns among officials and analysts about the bandits’ increasing ties with jihadists involved in a 14-year insurgency in the northeast.
In response to the escalating violence, Governor Lawal announced the formation of the Zamfara State Community Protection Guards in February, aiming to bolster security in the state.
