Zamfara Governor’s viral comments on bandits’ location continue to trigger outrage
It has emerged that Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, may be under mounting pressure to resign following the circulation of a viral video in which he admitted to knowing the locations of bandits terrorising the state but claimed helplessness in tackling them.
In the undated clip, the governor, who spoke in Hausa, stirred outrage across political and security circles when he lamented that despite procuring 150 vehicles for security agencies in Zamfara, he had no control over their deployment as directives only come from Abuja.
He had further claimed he could track the daily movements of bandits using devices at his disposal and insisted the crisis would end in two months if he had direct authority over security operatives.
However, the remarks have been described by analysts as both reckless and self-indicting, particularly as the state receives its quota in millions of monthly security votes.
Critics have now argued that a governor with such financial resources and constitutional powers cannot turn around to claim helplessness in the face of the bloodshed in Zamfara.
Sources claim the governor’s statement had shaken confidence at the highest levels of government.
According to sources, “This is not just irresponsible; it is a slap in the face of Nigerians, especially the security forces. Here is a governor who has received billions in security votes, funds meant precisely for gathering intelligence and supporting operations, yet he goes on video to confess he is helpless. It is unacceptable.”
They alleged that Governor Lawal’s admission of knowing the bandits’ locations but failing to officially transmit such intelligence to the National Security Adviser, NSA, Department of State Services DSS or the military was deeply troubling.
“If indeed the governor knows where these criminals are and has withheld such information, then he bears responsibility for every life lost in Zamfara. He cannot collect security votes, enjoy a heavily armed convoy, and then tell villagers that he knows where their killers are but can do nothing,” sources insist.
Government statistics show that Zamfara has remained the epicentre of banditry in Nigeria, with rural communities suffering weekly raids.
On August 23, gunmen stormed Gamdum Mallam and Ruwan Rana villages in Bukkuyum Local Government Area, killing two people and abducting over 100.
Earlier in the month, assailants invaded Kauran Namoda, leaving 24 dead, 16 injured, and 144 kidnapped. These attacks have left residents calling for help, claiming they are now at the mercy of killers.
Dr Usman Shehu, a Kaduna-based researcher on violent conflicts, in a narrative, described the remarks as “reckless at best and complicit at worst”.
“When a governor admits he knows the location of criminals but insists he is powerless, he undermines both the constitution and the morale of security operatives,” Shehu said.
Zamfara Governor’s viral comments on bandits’ location continue to trigger outrage
