The Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has stated that the incidences of banditry in the state have become so alarming that if left unchecked, adjourning states in the Northern parts of the country will be threatened too.
He spoke on Tuesday qhilw briefing State House correspondents after his meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.
Pleading with President Tinubu to come to the aid of the state, the Governor said that the banditry in the state had become “something else”,
and called for more presence of military troops to quell the situation.
He said that he specifically came to the seat of power to brief President Tinubu on the security situation in the state, stressing that if nothing is done to arrest the situation, the whole of the northern part of the country will be in trouble.
His words: “There have been several attacks in some of the local government communities. I feel as a responsible governor, I should make this known to Mr. President, who is pleased with the discussion we have and we are looking for more military personnel as well as the equipment for them to be able to function effectively and take care of the security situation.
“Zamfara has become the center of banditry as we speak today, and if nothing is done in Zamfara State, I don’t think we will be able to solve the situation in the entire northern Nigeria.
He acknowledged that the abducted Kuriga school children and few other victims of banditry were recovered from Zamfara State thereby spurring the state to be more proactive to change the narratives.
“Most of the guys or the girls kidnapped were kept in Zamfara state and ended up in Zamfara state that is not good for us, and therefore we’re doing everything to change the narratives and that is one of the reasons I came to see the president today.
“That is why I am here today I have informed Mr. President and I have his assurance that something drastic will be done to take care of the situation as soon as possible.”
The Governor restated that following the fact that the governor does not have control over the Nigerian military and the police, hence it remains the responsibility of the Federal government to issue directives.
“As you are fully aware, we have as Governors we don’t have control over the military as well as the police is the responsibility of the federal government. Therefore, at any point, we need to inform Mr President so that we can get his blessing either to direct them or to do something else that will help them take care of that situation.
