Only Tinubu can end Zamfara insecurity, not Gov Lawal — Shinkafi
By Idris Salisu, Gusau
A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, has declared that the persistent insecurity ravaging the state can only be addressed decisively by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and not by the state governor, Dauda Lawal.
Shinkafi made the statement during a press briefing at his residence in Gusau on Tuesday night, while reacting to the recent gruesome killing of 38 residents of Banga community in Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area, who had been held captive by bandits for five months.
The APC stalwart appealed to President Tinubu to urgently intervene in the escalating crisis, stressing that the people of Zamfara are under siege and being killed daily by bandits.
“President Tinubu is the only one who can bring this carnage to an end. As Commander-in-Chief, he has the constitutional authority to direct security chiefs to deploy more troops and sophisticated arms to crush the terrorists,” Shinkafi stated.
He accused some politicians in the state of politicizing the security crisis and unfairly blaming Governor Lawal, without acknowledging the constitutional limitations of state governors.
“Governor Lawal is the Chief Security Officer in name only. He has made several efforts — visiting Abuja, meeting the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Air Staff, the NSA, and even President Tinubu himself — but nothing tangible has come out of it. Without federal backing, there’s little he can do,” he said.
Shinkafi condemned the barbaric killing of the 38 hostages, revealing disturbing details: “The victims were reportedly forced to slaughter each other one after another, even after the bandits collected ₦35 million in ransom. Among them were pregnant women, and one woman died after childbirth when the bandits killed her newborn for crying.”
Visibly shaken, Shinkafi added, “I came to Gusau from Abuja to condole with the family of the late Emir of Gusau, Dr. Ibrahim Bello. But upon hearing about this horrendous massacre, I knew I couldn’t return without speaking up.”
He also criticized political figures who are more focused on 2027 election campaigns rather than uniting to confront the worsening security crisis. “It’s a shame that rather than standing up for the people, some politicians are busy discussing who will contest what in 2027, while our people are being butchered.”
Drawing comparisons with neighboring states, Shinkafi questioned why Katsina, Kaduna, Kebbi, and Niger, which are also battling insecurity, have not turned their governors into scapegoats like in Zamfara and Sokoto.
He called for a united front of Zamfara’s political leaders, traditional rulers, religious clerics, and elder statesmen to jointly engage President Tinubu and demand firm action against the bandits.
“The killings will not stop until the President gives security agencies a marching order to wipe out the criminals. We must all come together and demand that action — now, not later,” he concluded.
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