Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State says he believes President Bola Tinubu is not being properly briefed on the situation of banditry.
Speaking on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily, on Tuesday, the governor said there is political undertone to the security issue in the state.
Lawal said if the government is committed, banditry could be eradicated in two weeks.
He said: “Sometimes, when you’re really helpless. When you need them (security agents), they are not there. Even when they are there, they are given certain instructions on what to do and not what to do.
“In two weeks, we can take care of the situation but the political will is not there. We know who they (bandits) are. We know where they live. It’s just that there is no political will.”
On if he believes Tinubu is “properly briefed” on the actual state of things, the governor said: “Based on the conversation we had, the answer is no. And I had to explain everything to him, what we are going through and what needs to be done.
“Zamfara state has become the hub of banditry in northern Nigeria. If you can take care of Zamfara today, believe me, you’d have solved 90 percent of the banditry issue in northern Nigeria as a whole.
“If we are committed, if we are serious, we can take care of this situation within two weeks maximum. But the political will is not there.”
The governor said he does not have control over the military, police or personnel of the civil defense.
According to him, such a situation has rendered his government helpless in suppressing the operations of bandits in Zamfara.
He said: “In most cases, you get frustrated in terms of where you get help from. When you need these people, they would be nowhere to be found. And therefore the best thing to do is to set up that kind of security outfit.
“There are a lot of security undertones in the security issues. Some of you find it difficult to come and say but I know what we are going through. But like I said, sometimes you are helpless and when you need them they are not there or even when they are there, they are given certain instructions on what to do and not to do.”
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