Zamfara killings: Blame yourselves, not Gov Lawal – Group tells APC

The Concerned Patriotic Citizens Forum (CPCF) has slammed the Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for attempting to shift blame for the state’s insecurity to Governor Dauda Lawal of the People’s Democratic Party.

According to the CPCF, the insecurity was created by the APC’s previous administration in the state, and it is unjust for them to mock the victims and blame the current governor.

In a statement, Comrade Moses Toro, President of CPCF, berated the recent statement by the Zamfara State APC, accusing Governor Lawal of disregarding the state’s insecurity and “celebrating” at a PDP Governors’ Forum meeting in Enugu.

Toro stated that if anyone is to be blamed for the security situation, it’s the APC and not Governor Lawal.

He highlighted that the insecurity in Zamfara State began during the tenure of the previous APC administration and worsened during that time.

He added that Governor Lawal has taken more proactive measures to address the security issues in his short time in office than the previous administration did in eight years.

“The attempt by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to lay the blame for the dire security situation in Zamfara State entirely at the feet of Governor Dauda Lawal is beyond preposterous,” the statement read.

“It’s on record that the insecurity in Zamfara State started during the tenure of the immediate past APC administration in the state. The then APC-led administration in the state sat on their hands and watched the insecurity worsen further.

“Contrary to the APC’s claims that Governor Lawal has done nothing but ‘celebrate in Enugu’ amid insecurity in Zamfara State, the Governor has done more in tackling insecurity in just one year in office than the past APC administration did in eight years.

“Under the immediate past APC administration, Zamfara went from being one of the most peaceful states of the federation to the most terrorized state in the North-West. A report by TheCable Index showed that 327 people were killed in Zamfara State in the first quarter of 2022 alone. This was during the APC administration in the state. During the same regime, two local governments in Zamfara State, Anka, and Bukkuyum, were shut down by the state government due to insecurity.

“Therefore, those who brought about the killings and the mess Governor Lawal is trying to clean cannot turn around to mock Zamfarans and the rest of Nigerians simply because they have been rejected by the electorates.

“We consider the statement by APC as an attempt to mock the dead and families of those who have lost their loved ones to the insecurity inflicted on the North West in general and Zamfara in particular.

“The Concerned Patriotic Citizens Forum (CPCF) expects the APC to be remorseful rather than play politics with the insecurity it created. The party is hereby advised to desist from politicizing the plights of the victims of the insecurity it created. But if they want to continue to play the blame game, they should heap the blame on themselves as they are the chief architects of the insecurity in the state.

“We also want to use this medium to commend Governor Dauda Lawal for the proactive measures he has put in place to combat insecurity in Zamfara State. The inauguration of a 21-member Board of Trustees of Zamfara State Security Trust Fund by the Governor to tackle insecurity is a pragmatic step. The Governor is urged to sustain his efforts for the peace and development of Zamfara State.”