A faction of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, led by Hon. Bashir Aliyu Gummi, has lashed out at Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration over what it called a shameful failure to protect lives in the state.
The group, operating as a parallel assembly, warned that its members are prepared to face imprisonment if that’s what it takes to stand with their people in these trying times.
Speaking during a sitting on Wednesday, Gummi said the level of violence and bandit attacks had reached unbearable heights, accusing the government of turning a blind eye to the cries of affected communities.
“Innocent communities were attacked. Just within one week, Jangebe in Talata-Mafara saw hundreds abducted and others killed. Damri in Bakura and Kyambarawa in Kaura Namoda also suffered similar horrors,” Gummi told the assembly.
He continued, “Last Sunday, hundreds of innocent people were abducted, others were killed. In Bungudu, along Yarkatsina road, and again in Kyambarawa, lives were lost. But to our dismay, the governor didn’t even send condolences, let alone offer relief.
He accused the government of ignoring the plight of the people and decided to proceed on his annual leave.
Speaking in the same tone, Hon. Aliyu Ango Kagara, who represents Mafara South, said the situation in his constituency was dire. He accused the state government of failing to act despite receiving billions in security allocations.
“Our people are now rendered homeless, some have lost entire families, yet there’s been no support from the government. The governor receives N2 billion monthly for security, but we’ve seen no sign of that on the ground,” Kagara claimed.
Gummi doubled down on the group’s commitment to holding the government accountable.
“We’re ready to go to prison for our people. No threat or intimidation will silence us,” he said.
In response, the Special Adviser to Governor Lawal on Political Matters, Alhaji Iliyasu Buhari Maijega, dismissed the parallel assembly as both illegal and unconstitutional.
“The court has already ruled against their activities. They have no legal standing, and the security agencies must not allow them to drag the state into chaos for selfish reasons,” Maijega said.
He added, “Our security agencies are capable of managing this. These individuals must not be allowed to destabilize Zamfara.”
