Gov Lawal vows to crush banditry in two months if given control of security agencies

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has declared that he could eliminate banditry in the state within two months if granted direct control over security agencies.

The governor, who broke down in tears in a viral video on Wednesday while recounting recent attacks, said the biggest obstacle to ending the crisis is that security operatives in Zamfara still take orders from Abuja rather than the state government.

Lawal stressed that with his knowledge of the terrain and locations of criminal leaders, he could swiftly end the menace if empowered.

“I can tell you the whereabouts of every bandit kingpin in Zamfara, even with my phone. I can point to you where they are right now. But I do not control security agencies, and that is the problem,” he lamented.

He cited a recent massacre in Shinkafi Local Government where dozens were killed, explaining that security forces refused to intervene because they lacked authorisation from Abuja.

“People were under attack, and I kept calling the security agencies. They told me they were waiting for orders from Abuja. How do I save my people in such a situation?” the governor said.

Despite these limitations, Lawal noted that his administration has continued to support security operatives with logistics and funding. According to him, 150 patrol vehicles have been provided to the police, military, Department of State Services and Civil Defence Corps, while thousands of Community Protection Guards and over 2,000 hunters from Borno and Yobe States have been recruited to join the fight.

He also emphasised the need to address root causes of rural violence.

“We are working to provide water, schools and other amenities because we know that when people live well, peace is easier to achieve,” he explained.

Lawal accused political opponents of exploiting the crisis for selfish gain, warning that their actions were jeopardising the welfare of Zamfara residents.

“The politicisation of insecurity is not hurting me as a person; it is destroying Zamfara. Some people do not want us to succeed, but I will not stop trying,” he said.

The governor criticised the massive security deployment during a recent by-election in the state as evidence that resources exist but are being prioritised for politics rather than saving lives.

While Boko Haram and ISWAP have ravaged the North-East for over a decade, claiming more than 35,000 lives and displacing millions, the North-West faces an equally devastating wave of banditry. In Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and Sokoto, armed groups originally involved in cattle rustling have transformed into heavily armed gangs carrying out mass abductions and rural raids.

Zamfara remains one of the hardest-hit states, with entire communities displaced and farmlands abandoned. In February 2021, about 300 schoolgirls were kidnapped from Jangebe in Zamfara, and in December 2020, over 300 schoolboys were abducted in neighbouring Katsina, both incidents drawing global outrage.

Lawal’s outcry comes as President Bola Tinubu and the National Economic Council consider creating state police, a long-demanded reform by governors in violence-plagued regions.

Proponents argue that state police would enable governors to directly tackle local security threats, while critics fear potential abuse by politicians.

For residents of Zamfara, where villages are being emptied by gunmen and farming has stalled, Lawal’s claim is both a beacon of hope and a stark reminder of the limitations of Nigeria’s centralised security system.

Since assuming office in May 2023, the governor has consistently advocated state police, echoing Tinubu’s recent endorsement of the idea.