Insecurity in Zamfara being fueled by Gov Lawal's weak leadership - Northern group

A northern civic advocacy organisation has claimed that the continuous cases of insecurity in Zamfara State have been blamed on Governor Dauda Lawal's alleged lack of courage and gross administrative ineptitude.

The group, Coalition for Safer North-West Communities (CSNC), made the claim in a statement signed by its President, Alhaji Murtala Shehu Gusau, on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.

CSNC lamented that despite the military deployment and other Federal Government interventions, Zamfara remains one of the most dangerous states for habitation due to he worsening wave of kidnappings, killings, and banditry, attributing it to the failure of leadership at the highest level of the state government.

“We are alarmed at the continued deterioration of security in Zamfara State, and after a critical assessment, we have no choice but to hold the state government accountable. Governor Dauda Lawal has shown a worrying lack of courage in the face of terror and has consistently failed to provide strategic leadership that inspires confidence among residents or security agencies,” the group declared.

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It said Zamfara’s rural communities have become killing fields, while residents in the capital live in daily fear of abductions, despite the governor’s repeated assurances and media statements.

“It is not enough to issue statements from Gusau. What the people need is action. From Dansadau to Maru, Anka to Tsafe, farmers can no longer access their farmlands, women are being kidnapped in broad daylight, and children are growing up under the sound of gunfire,” Gusau said.

Lawal's approach to security management has also been described as inconsistent, lacking collaboration with federal authorities, and unable to rally local leaders and traditional institutions towards community-based intelligence gathering.

“Zamfara is bleeding, and the government seems more interested in political propaganda than real solutions. How many more people need to die before we begin to see seriousness? The governor needs to admit that his strategy, if any, has failed and make way for fresh thinking,” the statement noted.

Governor accused of sidelining stakeholders

CSNC also accused the Lawal administration of sidelining critical stakeholders in the state’s security architecture, including traditional rulers, local vigilantes, and federal agencies, to centralise control without the capacity to manage such complexity.

“We must stop pretending that things are normal. The situation in Zamfara is a full-blown emergency, and if Governor Dauda Lawal cannot show the willpower to govern in a crisis, then he must accept that leadership is not for him. Zamfara deserves more than photo-ops and empty meetings,” the group insisted.

Gusau said the group’s position is based on consistent engagement with affected communities, civil society organisations, and humanitarian workers in the North-West, many of whom have raised alarm over the governor’s silence or delayed responses to critical incidents.

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The group also questioned how billions of dollars allocated to security in Zamfara’s state budget have been spent, demanding transparency and accountability from the administration.

The group called on the National Assembly, particularly lawmakers from Zamfara, to conduct an independent assessment of the security situation in the state and recommend a pathway to restoring peace.

“This is not the time for partisan silence. Zamfara’s future is at stake. We urge Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis and other representatives to raise their voices and ensure that the suffering of our people is not ignored at the national level,” the statement added.

CSNC said it would continue to pressure elected officials at the state and federal levels until Zamfara experiences a turnaround in security and governance.

“We want peace. But peace will not come through platitudes. It requires bold leadership, integrity, and vision — all of which are sorely lacking in the current state government. Governor Dauda Lawal must wake up to his responsibilities or respectfully step aside for someone who can,” the statement concluded.

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