From Maiharaji Altine
The Zamfara state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Federal government to declare state of emergency in the state to allow the fight against banditry to succeed.
In a statement signed by the spokesperson of the party Yusuf Idris, the APC was of the view that, Governor Dauda Lawal has been sabotaging the efforts of the Federal government in the fight against banditry in the state simply because he didn’t want his predecessor Bello Mattawalle to succeed.
The party expressed disgust that Governor Lawal was all out to ensure that, the ongoing onslaught against bandits which started yielding positive result did not succeed just for political reasons.
The statement reads, “The current onslaught on bandits/terrorists in Zamfara State by the military in the north western states under the coordination/supervision of the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle on the instructions and directives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu certainly, is yielding unpredictable unprecedented results”.
“Bandits’ leaders and their gangs who hitherto thought they were powerful as they laid siege on the region have been subdued by the current development”.
“The Federal government’s fight against banditry is quite impressive and needs to be sustained at all cost so that the region will be free from all forms of criminalities”.
“But as a party, we observe with dismay how the Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal is trying to sabotage the ongoing onslaught through his media campaigns to distract the effort of the federal government under the coordination of the Minister of State for Defence to succeed”.
“This is because the ongoing military operations is scuttling his 2027 campaigns plan in which he intended to use insecurity as he did during the 2023 general elections”.
“The Governor has never in anyway supported military operations in the state in terms of logistics, rather he has been too confrontational that at one point, the military had to warn him to steer clear from their activities and efforts to flush out bandits from the state in particular and north western states in general”.
“He is of the belief that he can now use the operation to his own advantage and also further fight the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle as he is blinded along with his co-travellers”.
“He is not happy by the fact that the successful current military operations are being coordinated and supervised by his political rival to his disappointment”.
“He is now bent on distracting the operation through media campaigns and propaganda just as he is toying with the security of lives and properties of innocent Zamfara citizens for his political gains”.
“This is why we are calling on the federal government to declare a state of emergency on Zamfara so as to spoil the mischievous plan”.
“This need is highly desirable so that the operation can go unhindered and the security operatives can go into the state without the gover6nor and government of Zamfara politicizing the manhunt”.
“Governor Dauda Lawal has already begun by portraying himself as if he’s the sole sponsor of the operation for which he has no hand”.
The APC also accused Governor Lawal of not doing much to in terms of security since he took over the mantle of leadership in the state as governor in May last year.
The party stressed that Governor Lawal has vehemently nurtured attacks on his predecessor, Matawalle, including direct affront on the Minister’s property and baseless accusations, which always fell on deaf ears.
According to APC, Matawalle had in many opportunities offered himself both as Minister of Defence and as a citizen of Zamfara to partner with Governor Lawal in fighting the bandits even before the situation escalated to when the acts of banditry, kidnappings for ransom and other heinous crimes became daily affair.
“But all he got was bashing from the governor and his men including hired people who were made to hate Matawalle for no just cause”. Said the party.
The party added that President Tinubu concerned by the general outcry, directed the Minister of State for Defence to lead the Defence Headquarters with the Chief of Defence Staff and coordinate a complete elimination of the bandits operating in the region for the return of peace throughout the area and the country as a whole.
“Full of energy, the Minister and his fighters have effectively carried out the onerous task, decimating the criminals, their leaders and camps and receiving accolades from all over the world except from Governor Dauda Lawal and his team who are not happy with the onslaught being handled by Matawalle”.
“Since there is nothing they can do however, the Governor has now, as usual, turned to politicizing and indirectly fighting Matawalle by revisiting his (Dauda’s) earlier accusations that Matawalle embezzled Zamfara money, left nothing for the incoming administration”
“He has been busy buying airtime at some media outlets to claim being the one coordinating the fight alongside the military without any recognition of Minister’s”.
In his reaction on behalf of the state government, the Director General Media and communications, Government House Gusau, Alhaji Nuhu Anka described the call by the APC to declare the state of emergency in Zamfara state as shameless and laughable.
Anka maintained that, the past administration of former Governor Bello Mattawalle has nothing to say as far as the security issue was concerned.
According to him, the former Governor who is now the Defence Minister (State) was responsible for all the security challenges currently being faced by the state.
Anka stressed that, Matawalle did not do the needful on security during his tenure, adding that, he was romancing with the bandits which was responsible for the security challenges currently affecting the state.
“Everybody knows that, the former Governor was romancing with the bandits during his tenure”.
“He was defending them and giving them vehicles and money which made them to become more powerful and difficult to eliminate by the security personnel”.
“We all saw a video clip in the social media where a prominent Islamic cleric, Malam Bello Assada was attacking Bello Mattawalle’s relationship with bandits leaders”
“Malam Assada categorically mentioned that, Matawalle had during his tenure provided vehicles and logistics to bandits leaders”
“We also know what happened when he (Matawalle) directed a traditional ruler to confer a traditional title to a notorious bandits’ leader Ado Aliero”.
“How can a party that produced Matawalle as a Governor of the state be calling on the Federal government to declare a state of emergency in Zamfara state”.
“Who is fooling who?This is shameful and laughable”. Concluded Anka.
