Zamfara State House of Assembly, under the leadership of Bashar Gummi, has again expressed dissatisfaction over Governor Dauda Lawal’s security arrangements.
The House has therefore called on the Federal Government to coordinate the security operation in the state in order to save the lives and properties of the people of the state.
At Tuesday’s plenary, members took their turns to explain how bandits have destroyed the state through attacks in many communities.
The members criticised the governor for neither paying sympathy visits nor sending a government delegation or assistance to affected communities or victims’ families.
Moving a motion on the development, the member representing Bukkuyum North, Bashir Masama, commended the FG’s effort in tackling the bandits.
Masama said the bandits attacked four villages within his constituency, lamenting that the people of the area were fleeing to other places for safety due to insecurity.
He said, “In my area alone, four communities, including Adabka, Zauma, Gwashi and other villages along Mayanchi Bukkuyum road have suffered the most in the hands of the assailants.”
Supporting the motion, Bashir Zango, representing Bungudu West, added that his local government, Gidan Bugaje, Zaman Gida, Kukan Nine and Gidan Dan-inna have been torn into war zones by the criminal gangs, where anyone who ventured to go there was committing suicide.
Also contributing, a member representing Talata Mafara South, Aliyu Kagara, who is also the House Minority Leader, gave the names of the most affected villages in his area to include Morai, Bobbo, Makera, Jangebe, Gwaram and Ruwan Gizo.
The members, while expressing their concerns and disappointment in the state government, urged the Federal Government to fully take control of the issue of security in the state.
They advised that unless the Federal Government looked away from the state government and the governor’s effort at frustrating the security agencies and took full charge, the fight against the bandits would not end any time soon.
The members appealed to the people of Zamfara to continue to be law-abiding and give credible information to security agencies against all forms of suspected criminal activities so that they could be nabbed before they commit any crime.
They also pledged to continue to call for good governance in Zamfara for the growth and development of the state.
Member representing Bakura Constituency, Ibrahim Bakura, said his people were under siege as bandits continued to attack them.
“Just recently, people of Damri, Dakko, Kwanar Kalgo, Sama, Sabon Garin Damri and Sade Communities were hit by bandits and a large number of their animals were rustled, but the government did not care or sympathise with support talk-less of security reinforcement,” he said.
On his part, the member representing Tsafe West, Amiru Keta, said his constituents were facing serious security challenges on a daily basis with little or no assistance from the state government.
A member representing Maradun I, Faruk Dosara, condemned the state government for allegedly abandoning his people in the hands of the bandits.
He called on the House to consider serving the governor with an impeachment notice over the negligence and total abuse of office.
In his contribution, the member representing Maru North, Nasiru Maru, expressed disgust over the alleged maltreatment of some villagers for staging a peaceful protest at the Government House due to insecurity.
He said, “How can a reasonable leader direct political thugs to beat IDPs for staging a peaceful protest demanding the government return them to their homes?”
Responding to this claim, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Communication, Mustafa Jafaru, said, the security issue was the responsibility of the Federal Government.
He maintained that anybody who blamed the governor for the security breach in the state did not understand the constitution.
He said, “I always wonder whenever Governor Dauda is blamed for not ending banditry in Zamfara State. I also look at those who criticise him on security as either ignorant of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or are doing so for selfish reasons.
“There are more than 20 states in Nigeria that are facing security challenges, and Zamfara State is one of them, so it will be a welcome development if the Federal Government could come in and solve the problem for the rapid development of the people of Nigeria.”
