Group Defends Lawal’s Anti Banditry Campaign, Dismisses Failure Claims
The GDL Media Force has rejected allegations that the Zamfara State Government has failed in its fight against insecurity, insisting that Governor Dauda Lawal has made measurable progress since assuming office.
In a statement released on March 4, 2026, in Abuja, the group described recent criticisms by the Zamfara Good Governance Forum as politically motivated and inconsistent with realities on ground.
It maintained that the Lawal administration has pursued a deliberate and structured security strategy aimed at dismantling bandit networks across the state.
According to the group, the governor has prioritised investment in security assets, including the procurement of 25 Armoured Personnel Carriers and a long endurance surveillance drone capable of covering 50 kilometres and operating for up to eight hours.
It described the acquisition as the largest security hardware investment ever undertaken by a Zamfara State government.
The statement also noted that Community Protection Guards have been fully operationalised and equipped with 60 Hilux vehicles and motorcycles to improve rapid response in rural communities.
In addition, 150 Hilux vehicles were distributed to conventional security agencies such as the police, DSS and NSCDC, alongside 20 Toyota Buffalo vehicles.
To ensure sustainability, the group pointed to the establishment of the Zamfara State Security Trust Fund, which it said provides a structured framework for ongoing logistical and operational support to security agencies.
On the February 19 attack in Anka Local Government Area, the group said Governor Lawal immediately convened an emergency security meeting in Gusau with heads of security agencies, directing them to intensify intelligence gathering and strengthen coordinated responses.
The statement further alleged that the Zamfara Good Governance Forum has a history of targeting the current administration while remaining silent during previous years of heightened banditry. It claimed that the criticism aligns with political interests linked to former governor Bello Matawalle.
The group added that the present administration inherited severe security and financial burdens, including monthly debt servicing of N1.2 billion.
Despite these constraints, it said the government has continued to fund security interventions without additional borrowing.
While acknowledging that the fight against banditry remains ongoing, the GDL Media Force insisted that the administration’s actions reflect commitment, transparency and long term planning.
It urged residents to support ongoing efforts to restore stability and normalcy across Zamfara State.
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