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By ZAKAA LAZARUS, Abuja.
Insecurity in Zamfara state has taken a new dimension as non of the 14 local government capitals is free from banditry activities.
The most worrisome is that even the state capital, Gusau is not safe as pockets of banditry activities have taken turns periodically.
The most recent is the ugly attack last week by bandits which had two policemen killed in cold blood while other officers were abducted few poles away to General Aliyu Gusau’s house in Kofar Jange, Gasau town.
One will wonder why the state Governor, Dauda Lawal is yet to curb insecurity in Zamfara state of which one year ago under Bello Matawalle had 14 local governments fully free from banditry activities.
Today, most local government area headquarters have been deserted owing to frequent banditry attacks as farm lands have been left to grow fallow since Bandits will not allow farmers to farm in peace.
Two weeks ago, there was a report on how Bandits chased staff of Bakura Local Government Area out of their offices.
One year after being sworn in as Zamfara state Governor, Dauda is still wallowing in the euphoria as to if really he is the one elected as Governor of Zamfara state, like a case of a boy who is surprised about being gifted with a big gift meant for elders.
Recall that Gov. Dauda was on Channels TV interview where he was literally celebrating the an attack that happened in Maradun area of the state where Matawalle hails from. Today, Gasau the state capital where Dauda Lawal and a top security brass hails from is under unruly attacks by bandits.
Our security correspondent in Gusau, yesterday went round the state capital to make on the spot assessment of Dauda Lawal’s achievements within 1year in office, majority of Zamfaraites who were interviewed confirmed that Dauda has not yet come to terms with the reality that he is the Governor of the state let alone knowing what is expected of him to do for the people.
An elderly man in his 70s spoke in hausa dialect and gave his name as Mahmud Gummi professed that all Dauda acknowledges as duties of a state Governor is how to spend huge amount of monies on media publications against Bello Matawalle, Abdullaziz Yari and all those he sees as opposition in the state, instead of attacking headlong the insecurity challenges that has bedevilled the 14 local government areas including the state capital, Gusau.
“I am a member of PDP but I must confess that I am disappointed and living in regret because we have a directionless party man as Governor. See me, for over 9months now, I haven’t visited my village in Gummi let alone visiting my farm because I was flogged and subject into a terrible humiliation at my farmland in October 2023 by Bandits numbering over 11 as they forced me to harvest my sweet potatoes, load over 20 baskets of the potatoes into their vehicle for them before they asked me to run into the nearby Bush, then they drove off”, Pa Mahmud exclaimed bitterly.
Three months ago, April 2024, the Zamfara State Police Command public relations officer, ASP Yazid Abubakar said bandits attacked and killed a man identified as Ashiru Nagoma and abducted his wife and neighbour in Buluku, an outskirt of Gusau Local Government Area of the state.
In May 2024, Bandits in the early hours of Tuesday stormed Gusau, the Zamfara State capital and kidnapped the manager of TAJ Bank, Gusau, Mr. Mansur Kaura at his Gidan Dari by- pass residence, Gasau.
Many are of the opinion that if Dauda is reasonable, he would have called for an all- encompassing emergency stakeholders’ security meeting where he would extend a brotherly hand of fellowship to his predecessor who is today the Minister of Defence(state), Bello Matawalle and other well-meaning big shots in Zamfara to join him in the fight against banditry and other insecurity challenges in the state.
Today, the ever bubbling Gasau town is now deserted as few remaining habitats are living in fear.
