Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has said he has the capacity to eliminate banditry within two months if granted direct control of security agencies.
In a viral video on Wednesday, the governor broke down in tears while recounting recent attacks, stressing that the greatest obstacle to ending insecurity in Zamfara is that security operatives take orders from Abuja rather than the state government.
Lawal maintained that his knowledge of the terrain and the locations of criminal leaders would enable him to move swiftly if he had the necessary powers.
“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 said.
The governor described a recent incident in Shinkafi Local Government where dozens of residents were killed. According to him, security forces on the ground refused to move 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?” he lamented.
Despite limited authority, Lawal noted that his administration has continued to provide logistics and financial support to security operatives. He said 150 patrol vehicles had been distributed to the police, military, Department of State Services, and civil defence, while thousands of Community Protection Guards and more than 2,000 hunters from Borno and Yobe States were recruited to reinforce the fight against banditry.
He also emphasised the need to address the root causes of rural violence, pointing to ongoing investments in water supply, schools and other social amenities. “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 insecurity for selfish purposes, warning that their actions were undermining the welfare of Zamfara citizens. “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.
He cited the heavy deployment of security during a recent by-election in Zamfara as evidence that resources exist but are often prioritised for politics rather than the protection of lives.
While Boko Haram and ISWAP have terrorised Nigeria’s North-East for over a decade—killing more than 35,000 people and displacing over two million—the North-West has suffered a different but equally devastating wave of rural banditry.
In Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and Sokoto, armed groups rooted in cattle rustling have evolved into heavily armed networks carrying out mass abductions and violent raids. Zamfara has been one of the hardest-hit states, with communities abandoned, farmers displaced, and schools repeatedly targeted. In February 2021, about 300 schoolgirls were kidnapped from Jangebe in Zamfara; in December 2020, more than 300 schoolboys were abducted in neighbouring Katsina. Both incidents drew global attention to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.
Lawal’s outcry comes as President Bola Tinubu and the National Economic Council consider establishing state police, a reform long demanded by governors in conflict-ridden regions. His remarks highlight the frustration of state leaders who face mounting pressure from citizens but lack authority over the security apparatus.
For residents of Zamfara, where villages are being emptied by gunmen and farming is grinding to a halt, the governor’s declaration that he could end banditry in two months if empowered is both a message of hope and a stark reminder of the limits of Nigeria’s centralised security system.
Since taking office in May 2023, Lawal has consistently advocated for state police, echoing President Tinubu’s recent support for the reform. Supporters argue that local police would give governors direct control over security challenges, while critics warn of potential abuse by politicians.