A heated session of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, held under the factional leadership of Hon. Bashar Aliyu Gummi, ended in strong accusations against Governor Dauda Lawal, with lawmakers alleging reckless spending, financial mismanagement, and failure to curb escalating insecurity in the state.

 

During the parallel plenary held Thursday in the state capital, lawmakers decried what they described as an abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds, demanding urgent accountability from the executive arm.

 

A key point of contention was the alleged inflation of costs for a medical facility originally initiated by former Governor Aliyu Mamuda Shinkafi and completed under Abdulaziz Yari at an estimated cost of ₦1 billion. Lawmakers expressed shock that the same facility now reportedly requires nine times more funding “just for painting.”

 

They also questioned the whereabouts of ₦200 billion reportedly disbursed by the Federal Government to states over a 10-month period following the removal of fuel subsidy. Each state, according to reports, received ₦20 billion, but the Assembly claimed there has been no transparent breakdown of how Zamfara’s share was spent.

 

Concerns were also raised regarding the ₦49 billion received under the NG-CARES program—funds meant to empower displaced youths and rebuild livelihoods amid the state’s worsening banditry crisis. Lawmakers noted that the program was backed by a ₦2.6 billion counter-funding initiative by ex-Governor Bello Matawalle shortly before his departure from office in 2023.

 

In response, the Assembly issued a two-week ultimatum to the state government to provide a detailed account of all funds received and their utilization.

 

Insecurity in Focus

 

Lawmakers also voiced deep frustration over what they described as the government’s lack of urgency and empathy in addressing the rising wave of insecurity.

 

Hon. Aliyu Ango Kagara (Talata Mafara South) declared that the governor was no longer in control, citing the deteriorating security situation on the Gusau–Maru–Talata Mafara road, now dubbed a “death trap.”

 

He recounted a harrowing incident in Morai, where residents paid ₦17 million in ransom for the release of kidnapped relatives. Yet, the victims were reportedly not released, and the state government remained silent.

 

Kagara further condemned the government’s muted response to casualties among members of the Community Protection Guards, describing their deaths as a tragic waste due to a lack of adequate state support.

 

Political Undertones and Vote of No Confidence

 

The session also took a political turn when Hon. Ibrahim Tudu Tukur (Bakura) moved a motion for a vote of no confidence in Governor Lawal.

 

He accused the governor of:

 

Failing to protect lives and property,

 

Deepening divisions among citizens,

 

Betraying Zamfara’s Islamic values, particularly by allegedly undermining the authority of the Council of Ulama.

 

 

Meanwhile, Hon. Nasiru Abdullahi Maru (Maru North) proposed a long-term solution to insecurity through education investment, advocating for the establishment of a free education policy and scholarship scheme for Zamfara youths.

 

As the political crisis in Zamfara intensifies, the demands for transparency, better governance, and security continue to grow louder.