Zamfara State governor, Dauda Lawal, has expressed deep frustration over the worsening insecurity in his state, insisting that he has the knowledge and strategies required to end banditry if only he were granted direct control of security agencies. In a viral video, the governor lamented that despite knowing the exact locations of many bandit leaders and their hideouts, he remains powerless because all security agencies in Zamfara operate under directives from Abuja and not from the state government.
Governor Lawal, visibly emotional while speaking, explained that residents continue to endure unending attacks because security operatives often delay in responding to threats while waiting for federal clearance. He recalled a disturbing incident in Shinkafi Local Government Area where bandits attacked communities, but the security forces on ground refused to act without prior approval from Abuja. According to him, if he were empowered to issue direct orders to the security agencies, banditry in Zamfara could be eliminated within just two months.
The governor revealed that the helplessness of watching his people suffer deeply pains him. “Most times I shed tears for my people because I see the problems clearly, yet I cannot command the security men to act promptly,” he said. Despite lacking authority over the agencies, he stressed that his administration continues to invest heavily in security. He listed the distribution of 150 patrol vehicles to the Police, Army, DSS, and Civil Defence, as well as the recruitment of thousands of Community Protection Guards, alongside 2,000 hunters from Borno and Yobe states, to strengthen local resistance against criminals.
Governor Lawal also blamed political interference for undermining the fight against insecurity, saying some people do not want him to succeed. Zamfara remains one of the states worst hit by banditry in northern Nigeria, plagued by mass kidnappings, killings, and the displacement of thousands. Protests have erupted in the state capital, Gusau, where angry citizens accused leaders of abandoning them to their fate.
Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently announced that his government is weighing the creation of state police forces, in addition to deploying drones and forest guards, as part of broader strategies to tackle insecurity nationwide.