By Abubakar Yunusa Ojima-Ojo
Former National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, has called on troops in Zamfara State to act decisively against armed bandits instead of waiting for clearance from Abuja.
Shinkafi, a former governorship candidate and Executive Director of the Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development, said the state had suffered for over a decade under relentless bandit attacks.
In a statement on Sunday, he accused security agencies of failing to respond promptly to intelligence reports and warned that excuses of “awaiting orders” were costing lives.
“Troops must fulfil their constitutional mandate of protecting lives and property. The rule of engagement is clear – you do not wait while citizens are slaughtered,” Shinkafi said.
He cited Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, which makes security and welfare the primary duty of government, stressing that banditry in Zamfara could be defeated within two months if agencies worked in synergy with the state government.
Governor Dauda Lawal, he noted, had invested heavily in security by procuring advanced tracking technology, deploying 2,000 Civilian Joint Task Force members, and providing 150 operational vehicles. Yet, attacks persisted.
Shinkafi pointed to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa’s recent directive to troops, which emphasised immediate action against threats without waiting for commands. “Any commander who fails to act will face court martial,” Musa had warned.
He accused the federal government of double standards, alleging it deployed thousands of security personnel to oversee a local bye-election while leaving rural communities exposed to bandits.
According to Shinkafi, reports by a presidential committee led by former Inspector-General of Police M.D. Abubakar had already identified bandit camps, leaders, and fighters, yet decisive action was lacking.
“The Nigerian military has the training and equipment. What is missing is political will,” he said, insisting that collaboration between state authorities and the armed forces was the only way forward.
He also dismissed claims by opposition politicians that Governor Lawal was withholding intelligence. Instead, he argued that critics were bent on frustrating the governor’s efforts through “garrison politics”.
Citing the recent Kaura Namoda South bye-election, Shinkafi said security resources were diverted for political gain while villages nearby suffered mass killings and abductions.
He warned that such practices undermined democracy and placed politics above human lives.
“The situation in Zamfara mirrors what we see in Katsina, where security agencies ignored warnings before bandits attacked worshippers in Malumfashi,” he said.
Shinkafi urged President Bola Tinubu and the military high command to intervene urgently, restore public trust, and prioritise human life over partisan interests.
“There is light at the end of the tunnel for a safer Nigeria,” he said. “But we must set aside politics and act now.”
