The Northern Front for Peace and Accountability (NFPA) has criticised Governor Dauda Lawal over what it described as the worsening security situation in Zamfara State, accusing his administration of failing to provide leadership amid escalating terrorist attacks and growing public fear.
In a statement issued in Kaduna on Tuesday, the president of the group, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi Kaura, said recent incidents, including the suspected bomb explosion along the Yar’Tasha–Dansadau road in Maru Local Government Area, had exposed what he called “a dangerous collapse of governance and security coordination” in the state.
Kaura said the latest attack, which left several travellers feared dead, was not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of violence that has continued unchecked across major highways and rural communities in Zamfara.
He argued that residents were increasingly vulnerable to attacks by armed groups who now operate with “disturbing confidence and frequency”.
“The people of Zamfara are under siege. Daily, innocent citizens are killed, abducted, or forced to flee their homes, yet the state government appears overwhelmed and largely absent. Leadership is about presence, direction, and decisive action, especially in times of crisis. Sadly, these have been missing,” Kaura said.
The group also raised concerns over reports that Governor Lawal has been out of the state for several weeks, describing his absence as “ill-timed and indefensible” given the scale of insecurity confronting Zamfara.
According to the NFPA, the governor’s absence has deepened public anxiety and reinforced perceptions of a leadership vacuum at a critical moment.
Kaura said previous administrations had demonstrated that insecurity, while complex, could be confronted with political will, local engagement, and coordinated security strategies.
He urged Governor Lawal to study and emulate the approach adopted by former governor Abdul’aziz Yari, whom he credited with aggressively confronting armed groups through a mix of security operations, community intelligence, and direct engagement with federal authorities.
“During the Yari years, there was a clear strategy, however controversial some aspects were. The governor was visible, security meetings were constant, and there was a sense that the government was actively confronting the problem. Zamfara needs that urgency again,” Kaura said.
The group warned that continued inaction could further embolden terrorists and undermine public confidence in the state government.
The northern group called for an immediate security summit involving traditional rulers, community leaders, security agencies, and federal authorities to develop a coordinated response to the crisis.
The NFPA also urged the federal government to closely monitor the situation in Zamfara, warning that the state risked becoming a permanent stronghold for armed groups if urgent corrective measures were not taken.
“As citizens bury their dead and abandon their farms and roads, the question on everyone’s lips remains simple: Where is the government of Zamfara State, and when will it rise to its responsibility of protecting lives and property?” Kaura queried.
As investigations continue into the Maru road explosion, residents across Zamfara remain on edge, fearful that without visible leadership and a clear security strategy, the violence that has defined the state in recent years may only worsen.