A civil society organization, Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development (PAPSD), has called on Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal to cooperate with the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to address the growing issue of banditry in the state. The group accused Governor Lawal of worsening the banditry crisis by allegedly refusing to work in partnership with military forces and the defence ministry.

Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, the Executive Director of PAPSD, criticized the governor’s lack of cooperation, stating that this has allowed bandits to operate unchecked. He pointed out that during a recent interview on Politics Today, Governor Lawal described Zamfara as the “headquarters of banditry,” but failed to acknowledge his own role in the worsening insecurity by not working with relevant authorities.

Shinkafi also referenced the resignation of former Inspector General of Police, MD Abubakar, from the Zamfara State Security Trust Fund’s Board of Trustees, citing a loss of confidence in the governor’s handling of security matters. Shinkafi further noted that Governor Lawal has focused more on criticizing his predecessor, now Defence Minister Matawalle, instead of taking concrete actions to restore peace.

Despite the governor’s recent efforts to reconstitute the Zamfara State Security Trust Fund and set up a fundraising committee to boost security, PAPSD expressed disappointment, accusing him of failing to fulfill his campaign promise of ending banditry within 100 days. The group urged the governor to focus on providing peace and good governance for the people of Zamfara.