By Ashiru Taofeek Adewale
Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has convened an emergency security meeting with heads of security agencies in the state, vowing to implement urgent coordinated measures to counter a surge in bandit attacks that have left dozens of residents dead.
In a statement released on Saturday by his spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris, the governor expressed his administration’s sympathies to the communities and families affected by the recent wave of violence. The emergency meeting was held on Friday at the Government House conference room in Gusau to address the deteriorating security situation.
“In his administration’s resolve to end the insecurity affecting Zamfara State, Governor Dauda Lawal convened an emergency security meeting with all heads of security agencies and relevant stakeholders,” the statement read. “The meeting demonstrates the shared commitment and collective responsibility of the state government and heads of security agencies to protect lives and properties in Zamfara State.”
During the high-level meeting, Governor Lawal tasked security chiefs to urgently review the current security framework and implement immediate countermeasures. He specifically called for heightened vigilance, strengthened intelligence gathering, and a more aggressive operational stance against the criminal gangs.
“He charged the security to put more effort into ensuring that these elements did not gain further ground by staying ahead of them, denying them freedom of action, and decisively neutralising the threat,” the statement added.
The governor also commiserated with security personnel who have lost their lives or sustained injuries in the line of duty and assured affected communities of his administration’s full support. According to the statement, this support will include logistical, operational, and institutional backing to improve the effectiveness of the security forces.
The emergency meeting was prompted by a series of deadly attacks, most notably the February 19 raid on Dutsin Dan Ajiya village in Anka Local Government Area. Survivors of that attack have recounted harrowing details of how bandits, armed with sophisticated weapons, stormed the village, blocked all access roads, and opened fire on residents.
“After the attack, we realised that 30 people were killed; some were wounded, while several others are at large and nobody knows their whereabouts,” a resident said. It is understood that many villagers were also abducted during the assault, which lasted into the early hours of the morning. Local sources have put the death toll from that incident at approximately 50.
The recent violence underscores the persistent security challenges facing Zamfara, which has long been a hotspot for banditry and kidnapping for ransom. Governor Lawal’s directive signals a renewed effort by the state government to push security agencies toward a more proactive and decisive engagement with the criminal elements terrorizing rural communities.
Leave a Reply