The Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal has held talks with President Bola Tinubu over the alarming increase in banditry and related criminal activities in the northwestern state.
The meeting took place on Tuesday behind closed doors inside the president’s office at the Presidential Villa, Asokoro, Abuja.
A statement by the spokesperson of the Zamfara governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, disclosed that the governor briefed President Tinubu on the security situation in Zamfara State, particularly the resurgence of attacks in some local government areas.
According to Mr Idris, President Tinubu and the governor discussed various strategies and measures to tackle the challenging situation, including enhanced security deployment, intelligence gathering and community engagement programmes.
The meeting also highlighted the need to address the root causes of the problem, such as poverty and unemployment, which have contributed to the rise in criminal activities in the state.
Mr Idris further disclosed in the statement: “Today, Governor Dauda Lawal met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa to discuss critical issues concerning the security situation in Zamfara State.
“During the closed-door meeting, Governor Lawal informed the President that, over the past 13 years, Zamfara State has emerged as the hub of banditry in northwestern Nigeria.
“The Governor appealed to President Tinubu for presidential intervention in providing the military with adequate personnel, weapons, and logistics, as they are insufficient in Zamfara. He also requested sufficient air support to assist ground troops.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured the governor of his commitment to providing all essential support and logistics to the security forces to guarantee the restoration of peace in Zamfara.
“Furthermore, the President reaffirmed his administration’s position against negotiating with bandits and paying ransoms to kidnappers, actions that he believes only serve to empower them.”
Governor had on Monday held a meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa in Abuja to discuss the worsening insecurity in the state. Mr Musa, a serving Nigerian Army General assured him that his request for deployment of more soldiers to the state would be attended to.
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