The factional Zamfara State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Bashir Aliyu Gummi, has issued a scathing condemnation of Governor Dauda Lawal, accusing his administration of worsening insecurity, engaging in corruption, and abandoning both displaced persons and Zamfara students abroad.
During a heated plenary session on Ibrahim Tudu Tukur of Bakura Constituency moved a motion urging Governor Lawal to establish Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in each of the state’s three senatorial districts.
Tukur accused the governor of failing to deliver on his campaign promise to end banditry, stating that thousands of displaced residents now beg for survival on the streets without support or protection.
He further alleged that the administration has failed to convene regular security meetings or consider alternative strategies from stakeholders to address the deepening crisis.
Supporting the motion, other lawmakers, including Nasiru Abdullahi Maru (Maru North), Mukhtaru Nasiru Kaura (Kaura Namoda North), and Bashir Bello Sarki Zango (Bungudu West), cited recent attacks on multiple villages across the state.
They criticized the government for not visiting affected communities or showing solidarity with victims, deeming the silence from the administration as “deeply condemnable.”
The lawmakers also decried the arrest of peaceful protesters from Madira village, who had reportedly petitioned the Emir of Kaura Namoda over relentless killings.
The villagers were detained for allegedly damaging flowers at the Emir’s palace a move the legislators slammed as valuing plants over human lives.
In a separate motion raised under “matters of public importance,” Minority Leader, Aliyu Ango Kagara (Mafara South) accused Governor Lawal and former Speaker Bilyaminu Ismail Moriki of diverting N800 million monthly under the guise of “special assignments.” He described the alleged scheme as “coordinated corruption,” calling for a thorough investigation.
Additional lawmakers, including, Faruk Musa Dosara (Maradun I), Amiru Ahmed Keta (Tsafe West), and Bashir Abubakar Masama (Bukkuyum North), argued that the diverted funds spanning 23 months could have resolved Gusau’s chronic water shortages and funded key developmental projects.
Speaker Gummi subsequently referred the matter to the House Ad-hoc Committee, with a directive to submit findings to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) for further action.
In a final motion, Nasiru Abdullahi Maru raised concerns over the plight of Zamfara students in Cyprus. He claimed that many are working under exploitative conditions and face deportation due to unpaid school fees.
Lawmakers expressed outrage that while the students suffer abroad, the governor recently attended his son’s graduation ceremony in the UK with an entourage funded by state resources.
The Assembly appealed to human rights organizations, civil society groups, and the federal government to intervene and rescue the stranded students.