•Says his govt’s doing all it can to stabilize the state
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State on Friday said though his administration is doing all it can to bring the security situation in his state under control, the security of the state is “in the hands of God”.
Speaking to journalists at the State House in Abuja on Friday after meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima, Lawal emphasized that his team is doing everything possible to address the security challenges plaguing the state.
The governor’s statement comes as Zamfara continues to grapple with banditry and related violence.
Lawal’s administration has taken steps to improve security, including collaborating with federal forces to combat the criminals and other agencies to provide humanitarian aid to internally displaced persons.
In May, Governor Lawal reiterated his commitment to securing lives and properties during a state security council meeting, thanking the federal government for deploying additional troops to Zamfara.
While progress has been made, with successful arrests and rescues of kidnapped victims, the governor recognizes that more needs to be done.
“We are doing the best that we can to make sure we secure the lives and properties of our people… we’re doing the best that we can”, the governor said.
In his chat with journalists, Governor Lawal said, “The reality is that the insecurity in Zamfara State has existed for the past 12 years, and as a responsible government, we are tackling it head-on.
“We are doing the best that we can to ensure the lives and properties of our people. It’s an ongoing process and will continue until we end this banditry issue in Zamfara and, invariably, Nigeria as a nation”, he said.
The Governor, who declined to list specific measures by his administration, argued that “the security situation is not something I can discuss on camera. But all I can say is, we are doing our best to make sure we handle the situation.”
He noted that the efforts have yielded some results, including killing some major bandit leaders.
Asked how soon Zamfara residents should expect calm restored to the state, Lawal replied, “I’m praying that even by tomorrow, they [Zamfara residents] can go to sleep. We’re doing the best that we can, but it’s in the hands of God.”
Speaking on the crisis with his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Lawal said all the governors on the platform of the party are determined to keep it in one piece, despite all its current crisis.
The crisis within the PDP ballooned into two factions on Thursday, each of whom traded suspensions of the members.
The Damagum-led faction first suspended the National Legal Adviser, Adeyemi Ajibade, and the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and set up a committee to probe their alleged disloyalty to the party.
Likewise, the Ajibade faction responded by suspending the acting national chairman, Damagum and the national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.
But Lawal, who spoke in Hausa, said, “There is no political party without challenges. This is a political issue. As you know, we are looking for ways to overcome these challenges. It is not only about the PDP.”
On claims that the party has no leader, he replied, “Anyone can say what they want. It is not true, and we know it is not. We are fully on the ground to ensure the party stands strong.”
The Governor also noted that the Zamfara state is intentional about empowering its girls and is “making significant progress in that area, and it will continue.”
