CSNC blames insecurity in Zamfara on leadership failure

A northern civic advocacy group, the Coalition for Safer North-West Communities (CSNC), has criticised the Zamfara state government over deepening security crisis in the state.

In a statement signed on Wednesday by its President, Alhaji Murtala Shehu Gusau, CSNC said the escalating wave of kidnappings, killings, and banditry reflects a glaring leadership failure on the part of the state government.

The group noted that despite the presence of military personnel and federal interventions, banditry remains rampant in Zamfara, attributing the situation to Governor Dauda Lawal’s inability to take decisive action and coordinate an effective security response.

“We are alarmed at the continued deterioration of security in Zamfara State, and after a critical assessment, we have no choice but to hold the state government accountable. Governor Dauda Lawal has shown a lack of courage in the face of terror and failed to provide strategic leadership that inspires confidence among residents or security agencies,” the group stated.

CSNC further lamented that rural communities have turned into “killing fields,” while residents in Gusau, the state capital, live in constant fear of abduction, despite the governor’s repeated public assurances.

“It is not enough to issue statements from Gusau. What the people need is action. From Dansadau to Maru, Anka to Tsafe, farmers can no longer access their farmlands, women are being kidnapped in broad daylight, and children are growing up under the sound of gunfire,” Alhaji Gusau said.