5th September 2025, NewsOrient, Security, News, Law And Society, Governance And Development. Photo Credit/Source: Vanguard
Posted By: Samuel Egburonu, Editor

Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has lamented his inability to act decisively against bandits wrecking havoc in his state because security forces take orders only from Abuja, the federal seat of power.

He said: “I shed tears for my people, because I see the problem but I cannot order the security men to act in time.”

The governor added that he can wipe out banditry in the state within two months if he is given control over security agencies.

He made these statements in a video that has gone viral.

In the video, Governor Lawal blames the Federal Government’s control of the security forces for inability to tackle insecurity in Zamfara State, lamenting that though he knows where all the bandit leaders hide within his state, he cannot do anything about it because security officers in Zamfara State take orders only from Abuja, the federal seat of power.

Governor Lawal said: “I swear to Almighty Allah, wherever a bandit leader is in Zamfara State, I know it. If he goes out, I know.

“With my phone, I can show you where they are today. But we cannot do anything beyond our powers.”

He narrated how residents suffer repeated attacks while security operatives delay because they are waiting for clearance from the federal government.

Recalling an incident in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State where bandits attacked and security forces refused to act without instructions from Abuja, Governor Lawal said:
“If today I have the power to give orders to the security agencies, I can assure you, we will end banditry in Zamfara within two months.

“Most of the time, I shed tears for my people, because I see the problem but I cannot order the security men to act in time,” he lamented.

Governor Lawal said however that despite not having direct control over security in his state, his government has been supporting security efforts.

He said 150 patrol vehicles were shared among the Police, Army, DSS and Civil Defence.

He also noted that thousands of Community Protection Guards and 2,000 hunters from Borno and Yobe states were recruited to join the fight against banditry.

“The politicisation of insecurity is not hurting me as a person,” he said, “but it is destroying Zamfara. Some people do not want us to succeed. But I will not stop trying,” the governor said.

NewsOrient reports that Zamfara is one of the numerous states in Nigeria currently tormented by insecurity.

We also report that most advocates of true federalism in Nigeria agree with Zamfara State Governor Lawal’s insinuation that adoption of State Police will go a long way to tackle insecurity in Nigeria more expeditiously.

~ Published By NewsOrient Network

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