Dauda Lawal: No political will to end banditry | Tinubu not getting proper briefing

Dauda Lawal, governor of Zamfara, says President Bola Tinubu is not getting proper security briefing on the operations of bandits in the state.

After meeting with the president on March 26, Lawal described Zamfara as the “centre of banditry” in northern Nigeria.

He said the spate of insecurity in Zamfara may consume the northern part of the country if not urgently addressed.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Lawal said if the government is committed, banditry could be eradicated in two weeks.

“While we are trying to take care of the situation, somebody, somewhere, somehow, behind our back, is negotiating with bandits… as a governor of a state, without my knowledge,” he said.

“When the situation really got bad, I had to meet Mr President and complain one-on-one, and I told him the true situation of what Zamfara is facing in terms of security.”

When asked if he believes the president is “properly briefed” on the actual state of things, the governor said: “Based on the conversation we had, the answer is no. And I had to explain everything to him, what we are going through and what needs to be done.

“Zamfara state has become the hub of banditry in northern Nigeria. If you can take care of Zamfara today, believe me, you’d have solved 90 percent of the banditry issue in northern Nigeria as a whole.

“If we are committed, if we are serious, we can take care of this situation within two weeks maximum. But the political will is not there.”

THE STATE POLICE DEBATE

Lawal said as a governor, he does not have control over the military, police or personnel of the civil defence.

He said such a situation has rendered his government helpless in suppressing the operations of bandits in Zamfara.

“In most cases, you get frustrated in terms of where do you get help from,” he said.

“When you need these people, they would be nowhere to be found. And therefore the best thing to do is to set up that kind of security outfit.

“There are a lot of security undertones in the security issues. Some of you find it difficult to come and say but I know what we are going through. But like I said, sometimes you are helpless and when you need them they are not there or even when they are there, they are given certain instructions on what to do and not to do.”