The Zamfara Cycle, a prominent advocacy group, has unleashed a scathing rebuke of Governor Dauda Lawal Dare, accusing his administration of failing to stem the tide of relentless bandit attacks that have plunged Zamfara State into a state of fear and chaos.
In a strongly worded statement, the group’s chairman, Suleiman Isa Namoda, voiced deep frustration over the government’s inability to deliver on repeated promises to tackle the growing scourge of banditry.
“Zamfara is under siege,” Namoda declared, highlighting a recent surge in coordinated attacks that have left communities shattered. “Heavily armed gangs operate with impunity, abducting scores, killing residents, and destroying livelihoods, while the state government offers little more than empty assurances.”
The statement pointed to a devastating raid on Banga village in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area, where bandits kidnapped over 50 people, including women and children, and forced countless others to flee. Similar assaults have terrorized residents in Jimrawa, Kwarin Ganuwa, Zurmi, and Anka, where kidnappings continue unabated, leaving families to negotiate ransoms without government support.
The Zamfara Cycle painted a grim picture of a state abandoned to its fate, with inadequate security measures failing to protect vulnerable communities. “Critical areas lack sufficient military or police presence, leaving poorly equipped local vigilantes to confront well-armed criminals,” the statement read. “The people of Zamfara deserve decisive leadership that prioritizes their safety, not hollow promises.” The group demanded that Governor Lawal overhaul the state’s security framework, strengthen collaboration with federal agencies, and deploy well-equipped forces to high-risk zones, warning that anything less would betray the trust of Zamfara’s people.
This wave of violence is not new to Zamfara, which has long been a hotspot for banditry in Nigeria’s North-West. In 2021, the state made headlines when bandits abducted over 200 schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary School in Jangebe, a crisis that exposed the region’s fragile security. Similar attacks in 2023 and 2024, including the kidnapping of 80 residents in Maradun and the massacre of farmers in Tsafe, underscored the persistent threat. Despite federal interventions, such as the deployment of Operation Hadarin Daji in 2019, banditry has only grown more brazen, fueled by the proliferation of small arms and weak governance. The Zamfara Cycle’s criticism echoes public discontent seen in 2022, when protests erupted in Gusau over the government’s failure to protect rural communities.
The group vowed to stand with residents in their fight for peace, justice, and lasting security, urging immediate action to restore hope to a state gripped by despair. As Zamfara’s villages empty and fear tightens its hold, the pressure is on Governor Lawal to deliver tangible results or face growing public outrage.
