The Arewa Coalition for Peace, Reform and Good Governance (ACPRGG) has commended Governor Dauda Lawal for what it described as “deliberate, courageous and reform-driven efforts” to confront the deep-rooted security challenges facing Zamfara State, insisting that the current administration inherited a broken security architecture created by years of failed leadership.
In a statement issued on Friday in Kaduna, the president of the group, Alhaji Sadiq Mahmoud, said Governor Lawal should be supported rather than vilified for confronting an insecurity crisis that was allowed to fester under previous administrations, particularly during the tenure of former governor Abdul’aziz Yari.
Mahmoud said recent attacks, including the suspected bomb explosion along the Yar’Tasha–Dansadau road in Maru Local Government Area, must be understood within the context of “long-standing governance failures” that predated the Lawal administration.
“To be clear, Governor Dauda Lawal did not create Zamfara’s insecurity. What we are witnessing today is the consequence of years of negligence, poor policy choices and short-sighted strategies that empowered armed groups, weakened state institutions and normalised violence,” Mahmoud observed.
The group rejected calls for Governor Lawal to adopt the security strategies used under Abdul’aziz Yari, describing them as ineffective and largely responsible for the entrenchment of armed groups across Zamfara’s forests and rural communities.
“Those who are asking for a return to old methods are ignoring history. The so-called strategies under Yari did not defeat banditry; they emboldened it. Armed groups expanded, weapons proliferated, and communities were left at the mercy of criminals. Zamfara did not become insecure overnight, and it certainly did not become so under Governor Lawal,” Mahmoud said.
According to the ACPRGG, Governor Lawal has taken a more structured and sustainable approach to security, focusing on intelligence-led operations, collaboration with federal security agencies, and rebuilding trust between communities and the state.
The group noted that the governor has consistently engaged security chiefs and traditional rulers, while prioritising reforms aimed at addressing the economic and social drivers of violence.
Mahmoud also defended the governor against criticism over his movements outside the state, arguing that security leadership extends beyond physical presence and includes high-level coordination with federal authorities and security institutions.
“Security governance is not about theatrics or shouting orders in public; it is about strategy, coordination, and long-term planning. Governor Lawal has demonstrated a clear understanding of this, even as he works to undo years of damage,” the statement added.
The group urged residents to remain patient and vigilant, stressing that reversing a decade-long security crisis would require time, consistency and collective support.
It also called on critics to avoid politicising insecurity or promoting narratives that absolve past leaders of responsibility.
“We cannot fix tomorrow’s problems if we keep lying about yesterday’s failures. The insecurity confronting Zamfara state today is the bitter harvest of failed leadership under Yari. Governor Lawal is taking concrete steps to restore peace and stability in Zamfara and he needs all of our support,” the statement concluded.
As investigations continue into the Maru road explosion, the group called for unity, cooperation with security agencies and sustained support for Governor Lawal’s efforts to restore peace, insisting that lasting security can only be achieved through accountable governance and credible reform.