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By Myke Agunwa, Abuja
As terrorists continue to kidnap citizens, kill and burn down communities in several parts of the country, Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal has vowed to end insecurity in the state within two months if given total control of the security agencies.
The governor further asserted that he knew the whereabouts of a bandit leader, claiming that he could be able to locate the bandits using his cell phone.
In a video footage circulating on social media on Thursday, the governor lamented that as the state governor, he was helpless in the midst of killings taking place in his state.
According to Governor Lawal, he frequently sheds tears for his people when he sees an issue but is unable to direct security personnel to take immediate action since he lacks authority over the agencies.
He cited an incident in which robbers broke into Shinkafi Local Government and security personnel were unable to evacuate after being notified because they had not received directives from Abuja.
“I swear to Almighty Allah, wherever a bandits’ leader is located within Zamfara State, I know it, and if he goes out, I know. With my mobile phone, I can show you where and where these bandits are today. But we cannot do anything beyond our powers.
“If today, I have the power to give orders to the security agencies, I can assure you, we will end banditry in Zamfara State within two months.
“Most of the time, I shed tears for my people because I can see a problem but, because I don’t have control over the security agencies, I cannot order the security operatives to act in time,” he said.
President Bola Tinubu had on Wednesday urged some Northern governors who visited him at the Presidential Villa to reconsider the creation of state police as a strategic measure to combat rising insecurity across the country.
The president emphasized that central policing alone cannot adequately address widespread security challenges such as banditry, kidnapping, and communal clashes. He noted that local policing structures, if properly regulated and monitored, would bring law enforcement closer to communities, ensure quicker response to threats, and enhance intelligence gathering.