Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has said he has the ability to end banditry in the state within two months if security agencies were placed directly under his control.
Speaking during a media chat in Gusau, the governor explained that one of the biggest challenges in fighting insecurity is that security operatives in Zamfara still take instructions from Abuja instead of the state government. According to Mediaplusng.com, Governor Lawal said he could identify the locations of bandit leaders even with his phone, but the lack of control over security agencies has limited his action.
He pointed to a recent attack in Shinkafi Local Government where dozens were killed, noting that security forces delayed responding because they were waiting for clearance from Abuja. The governor added that his administration continues to provide logistics and financial support to security agencies despite these setbacks.
But the Zamfara chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly criticised the governor’s remarks. In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris, the APC accused Lawal of “harboring criminals” and failing to keep his campaign promise of ending insecurity within two months. The party told Mediaplusng.com that the governor’s claim of knowing the locations of bandit leaders without action shows complicity.
The APC also alleged that Governor Lawal has politicised insecurity and failed to provide proper support for security operatives. It argued that while the governor distributed 150 vehicles, they were not operational patrol vans but mobility cars without funding for fuel or maintenance. The opposition compared this with former Governor Bello Matawalle, who they claimed gave out 200 fully equipped operational vehicles with logistics support.
The party challenged the governor to focus on delivering on his promises rather than shifting blame, stressing that Zamfara people need action, not media rhetoric.
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