ZAMFARA — Governor Dauda Lawal has declared that banditry in Zamfara State would be crushed within two months if governors were granted direct control over security agencies.
In a viral video on Wednesday, the governor lamented the limitations of his office, saying that despite being the state’s chief security officer, he has no command over operatives who must await clearance from Abuja before taking action.
“I swear to Almighty Allah, wherever a bandit leader is located in Zamfara State, I know it. With my phone, I can show you their locations today. But we cannot act because we don’t have the power,” Lawal said.
He stressed that if given the authority to direct military and police operations, banditry would become history in Zamfara within weeks.
Lawal cited instances where warnings about planned attacks — including one in Shinkafi Local Government Area — went unheeded because security agencies could not move without approval from the federal command.
Despite the constraints, the governor noted that his administration has been providing logistics to security agencies, while also recruiting thousands of Community Protection Guards and 2,000 hunters from Borno and Yobe States to bolster the fight.
Lawal further pledged to address root causes of the insurgency by providing schools, water, and other basic amenities in affected communities.
“Most of the time, I shed tears for my people because I can see a problem but cannot order security operatives to act in time. We have entrusted everything to God and surely, He will come to our rescue,” the governor said.
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