The Nigerian Bar Association is worried by the insecurity in Zamfara State. Its members were in the state between August 17 to 19 to engage stakeholders on how best to restore peace and ensure reconciliation. ERIC IKHILAE reports.
What is happening in this state is terrible. People are being killed on a daily basis. Women and girls are being rapped, properties are being stolen and destroyed by those termed as armed bandits. We do not have any hope…We are seeking the assistance of everyone.”
The above captured the state of insecurity in Zamfara State, as presented by the Chairman of Gusau branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Bello Galadi.
Galadi, who echoed the view of the majority of other speakers at a town hall meeting held in Gusau (the state’s capital) on August 18, lamented that residents of the once peaceful and tranquil state are now at the mercy of brigands, who kidnap, kill, maim and destroy at will.
He spoke while welcoming participants to the town hall meeting organised by the NBA, to promote peace and security.
The well-attended event afforded participants, including political leaders, civil servants, other professionals and concerned citizens the opportunity for a closer, thorough and frank dissection of the insecurity challenge, identifying its causes and suggesting ways of curbing it.
Speakers identified the absence of quality governance, failure of critical societal institutions like the justice administration system, security agencies, religious and traditional institutions; increasing poverty, illiteracy and unemployment, and the rise in social vices like drug addition, among others, as constituting key factors fuelling insecurity in Zamfara.
Suggestions on how to address the challenge were legion, ranging from the basic to the extreme, with some calling for the imposition of a state of emergency, on account of the claim that the state government was overwhelmed by the problem.
Why the town hall meeting
NBA President, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN) said the event was neither influenced by any political interest/group nor in furtherance of any political motive.
Mahmoud said the visit and the town hall meeting were part of NBA’s civil interest engagements, intended to promote the rule of law, peace building and reconciliation, and to advise policy makers and stakeholders on how to build peace and ensure reconciliation.
“Our objective is to express our concern and sympathy to the people of Zamfara. We are here to hear from victims and stakeholders about what is happening and what could be done,” Mahmoud said.
Who is to blame?
A Zamfara politician, Saidu Muhammed Dansadau, blamed Governor Abdulaziz Yari for the problem, who, he alleged, is often absent from the state.
He argued that it was important that the governor be always available to provide practical leadership and give direction on how problems should be addressed.
Dansandau, who represented Zamfara Central District in the Senate between 1999 and 2007 under the banner of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), said: “This security problem started in a few communities, but now it has spread to many others. If we do not do something urgently, this problem will continue to spread, and if nothing is done urgently, it will consume the nation.
“A state of emergency should be declared in Zamfara. That is the way to address this problem. It is not only about deploying soldiers and other security agents. The issue requires fundamental decision.”
‘Tackle poverty, unemployment,
poor governance’
The Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Zamfara branch, Monsuru Mustapha, blamed the problem of insecurity on growing poverty, unemployment, poor governance and the abandonment of peace building measures adopted in the past.
He urged the governor to spend more time in the state and suggested the resumption of the periodic meetings of leaders of, and farmers and herders from the three main ethnic groups in the state – Housa, Fulani and Zuru) – where issues of concern and disputes were tabled and addressed.
Mustapha asked Governor Yari to see his appointment as the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, which he believed was always keeping the governor away from the state, as a secondary responsibly.
‘Too much ethnic consciousness’
Mrs. Maryam Ali Abdullahi, who was the only female speaker at the event, attributed the problem to undue ethnic consciousness, poverty, unemployment, rising cases of social vices like drug addiction and the failure of parents to effectively instil moral values on their wards.
Dressed in a burqa, Abdullahi, an Islamic school teacher, argued that the problem would abate when the state’s institutions learn to ensure justice for all, address the problem of social inequality, illiteracy, unemployment and drug addiction.
‘State police or decentralised
security structure’
The state’s Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Abdullahi Gusau, lamented the government’s neglect of workers’ welfare.
He urged the government to pay the allowances of judicial sector workers, particularly lawyers, to ensure the effectiveness of the justice administration system.
Gusau, who claimed that the efforts of existing federal security agencies were inadequate, called for either the creation of state police or the decentralisation of the operation and command structure of the existing security agencies.
Govt absolves self of blame
But the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Abdullahi Mohammed Shinkafi, who stood in for the governor, refuted claims of the government’s failure.
Shinkafi, who described himself as a teacher, identified what he said were the government’s efforts to ameliorate the situation.
Responding to those who sought justice and fairness in the way the government and its agencies addressed disputes between the various ethnic and interest groups, the SSG said it was difficult to expect justice and fairness on issues administered by humans.
He said he was optimistic that the state NBA Chairman’s ‘political leaning’ would not prevent him from doing right thing.
‘Attacks began in 2009’
As against the claim by Dansadau that the security problem started in 2011 when Governor Yari assumed office, Shinkafi said armed bandits’ attacks started in the state around 2009.
He blamed Dan Sadau, who, he said, was then a Senator and close associate of the then governor, for not assuming his current posture to ensure the crisis was nipped in the bud.
“Armed bandit started around 2009. I am sorry I had to come from Abuja this morning to attend this programme. I would have made a prepared speech if I were around. We have all the records. In 2010, there were about four attacks and there were other attacks in 2011 as well, before the coming of this government.
“The Senator (Dansadau) may not be aware because he was in Abuja as at that time. But this is the truth and between 2011 and 2013 there were several attacks unleashed unjustly on our various communities.
“Then, my respected Senator (Dansadau) was the closest friend to the then government. I wish he had put in the energy he is putting today when he was that close to talk to the governor about the problem of insecurity then.”
‘No govt is perfect’
He contended that it was wrong for anyone to castigate the government of the day without being abreast of the facts about happenings in the state. He argued that no government, organisation or I individual was perfect, “not even the NBA.
“If you ask me to tell you what I know about many of my students that are lawyers toady, you will be shocked. So, it is not a question of perfection, but a question of what we are supposed to do, and are not doing. I will just beg and advise civil servants not to be partisan politicians because it has consequences,” he said.
‘Zamfara paid security agencies N17b allowances since 2011’
Shinkafi added that the state had spent over N17billion from 2011 till date on the payment of allowances and other logistics to the security agencies. He added that over N2billion has been expended by the government in providing assistance to victims of the various attacks.
The SSG added that the state government had facilitated the siting of security formations, such as the 223 Battalion, 607 Quick Response, One Brigade, along the Presidential Lodge and the GOC Unit in the state.
He added that the state had since 2012 provided the various security agencies with 457 vehicles, which he said included the 250 given in 2012, 77 in 2104 and 50 in 2015, 2016, 20157 and 2918.
According to Shinkafi, the government also engaged in reconciliation by setting up a committee to that effect.
“Some achievements have been made, but not to our satisfaction, becausem we would like a situation where Zamfara will revert to its past glory of being the most peaceful state.”
NBA calls for recommendations
Bringing the meeting to a close Mahmoud, said the NBA will accept written recommendations from anyone and will engage heads of all the relevant institutions on the matter.
He said the association will analyse all contributions and make public its position and recommendations.
“We will also engage with the Chief Judge and other stakeholders in the justice sector. And I hope the message will be sent that what we do in our court rooms, what we do in our offices and what we do in our various endeavours as lawyers have direct bearing on the state of security in our states. And that we must put our acts together and address these issues.
“All those saddled with responsibilities in the ministry of Justice must rise to the challenge of improving the administration of justice not only in Zamfara State, but indeed, also across the country.
‘No to threat against civil servants’
He however drew the attention of the SSG to the inappropriateness of his (SSG) threat to sanction civil servants, who attended the event, spoke their mind and gave suggestions on how the security problem could be tackled.
“Clearly, there is something I have to state before the close of this event. People have come here on the strength of the invitation of the NBA to speak their minds, be it public servant, officials of government and ordinary citizens.
“I want to state that their right to speak out must be respected. We have a common problem. It is not a problem that affects just the officials of government, but that affects all the ordinary persons and ordinary citizens. And when they come up to speak, we must respect their right to speak. I heard the SSG when he said that civil servants are not expected to be politicians. That is very much true.
“Civil servants are not supposed to engage in partisan politics, but civil servants have views and rights under the Constitution, to express themselves. And I hope that the SSG did not mean that there will be repercussion for those civil servants, who came out to express their minds,” Mahmoud said.
The NBA delegation, on arriving Gusau on Friday evening, visited the Deputy Governor, Ibrahim Muhammad, who equally expressed concern about the insecurity challenge and assured that the government was not averse to any measure aimed at ending it. He commended the delegation for the initiative and pledge to work with the recommendations made by the NBA.
Before rounding off its activities on Saturday, the delegation visited the place of the traditional head of Zurmi, one of the recently attacked communities in the state, where people were reportedly killed and properties destroyed.
The Emir of Zurmi, Abubakar Atiku Mohammed, who also commended the NBA for its initiative, appealed for the support of all to end the security challenge in the state.
He said most of the victims of the recent attacks in his domain took refuge in his palace, but were returned to their communities the previous day on the directive of the state government.