The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State has urged the federal government to declare a state of emergency on insecurity, accusing Governor Dauda Lawal of attempting to sabotage the ongoing military operations through media campaigns aimed at distracting federal efforts.
In a statement issued by APC Zamfara State Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris, on Saturday in Gusau, the state capital, the party noted that the current federal government efforts in combating banditry in Zamfara and the North West are yielding impressive results.
The statement reads in part, “The current onslaught on bandits and terrorists in Zamfara State by the military in the northwestern states, under the coordination and supervision of the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, on the instructions and directives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is certainly yielding unprecedented results as bandit leaders and their gangs, who previously believed they were invincible, have been subdued.”
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The APC further accused Governor Lawal of attempting to derail these efforts, stating, “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 aimed at distracting the federal government’s efforts under the coordination of the Minister of State for Defence.”
“The governor has never, in any way, supported military operations in the state in terms of logistics.
“Instead, he has been confrontational, to the point where the military had to warn him to steer clear of their efforts to flush out bandits from the state and the North West.”
The statement continues, “He is now bent on distracting the operation through media campaigns and propaganda, risking the security of lives and properties of innocent Zamfara citizens for political gains.
“This is why we are calling on the federal government to declare a state of emergency in Zamfara to thwart his mischievous plans.”
“This need is highly desirable so that the operation can proceed unhindered and the security operatives can enter the state without interference from the governor, who has already begun politicizing the manhunt by falsely portraying himself as the sole sponsor of the operation.”
The statement also touched on past efforts by Matawalle, noting, “On many occasions, Matawalle had offered himself, both as Minister of Defence and as a citizen of Zamfara, to partner with the governor in fighting bandits even before the situation escalated.
“But all he received in return was hostility from the governor and his allies, including hired individuals who were made to hate Matawalle for no just cause.”
“Concerned by the general outcry, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently directed the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, to lead the Defence Headquarters, alongside the Chief of Defence Staff, and coordinate a complete elimination of bandits in the region to restore peace.”
The APC praised Matawalle’s past efforts, stating, “Matawalle’s efforts in fighting banditry during his tenure as governor are far ahead of Dauda Lawal’s. Matawalle distributed 200 brand new Hilux vehicles to security agencies in the state.”
The statement concluded by addressing the issue of reconciliation and disarmament stating,”The Matawalle administration executed the reconciliation and disarmament process based on positive, workable advice from all the security agencies, contrary to Dauda’s claims that it failed.”
