“I Swear to God, I Know Where Bandits Are, But I Have No Power to Act” — Zamfara Governor Cries Out

Zamfara State governor Dauda Lawal has said he knows the exact locations of bandit leaders operating in the state but cannot act against them because security agencies only take directives from Abuja.

In a viral video, the governor lamented that the fight against insecurity was being hampered by the centralised control of security agencies, despite his administration’s efforts to support them.

“I swear to Almighty Allah, wherever a bandit leader is located within Zamfara State, I know it and if he goes out, I know. With my mobile phone, I can show you where and where these bandits are today. But we cannot do anything beyond our powers,” 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 State within two months.”

The governor recounted a recent incident in Shinkafi Local Government Area, where bandits invaded communities but security operatives failed to respond because they had not received clearance from Abuja. “There was a time the bandits invaded Shinkafi and the security operatives were alerted, but they refused to go simply because they were not given orders from Abuja,” he said.

Lawal explained that his government had invested heavily in strengthening security, including distributing 150 patrol vehicles to police, army, DSS, and civil defence, recruiting thousands of Community Protection Guards, and hiring 2,000 hunters from Borno and Yobe States to reinforce local efforts.

“I am doing all these despite the fact that I have no control over the security agencies; but because it’s my responsibility to protect the lives and properties of the people of Zamfara,” he said.