Speaking during a media briefing on Thursday, the governor expressed frustration that the fight against banditry was being slowed by bureaucratic bottlenecks. According to him, the state government has provided actionable intelligence on hideouts of criminal gangs but operations are stalled because security agencies take instructions from their national commands.
“I know where the bandits are. I can point to their camps. The problem is that the security agents here cannot move without approval from Abuja. That is the sad reality,” Governor Lawal stated.
The governor lamented that this delay has allowed criminal groups to regroup and launch fresh attacks on communities. He called for a review of the security architecture that grants more operational powers to field commanders working directly with state governments.
Zamfara has been one of the worst-hit states in the wave of banditry in Nigeria’s North-West, with recurring attacks on villages, abductions and cattle rustling. Thousands of residents have been displaced in recent years despite repeated military operations in the region.
Governor Lawal reiterated his administration’s commitment to supporting security agencies with logistics and local intelligence, but insisted that the fight would only be effective if decisions were made swiftly on the ground.
