A group, Zamfara Progressive Movement for Peace and Development (ZAPPDE) has declared that people of the state are still suffering the challenges of insecurity, hunger, and depression despite having democratically elected leaders at the federal and state levels.
The group also described the escalating insecurity in the state as worrisome and hopeless, urging quick remedy to rescue the state.
Chairman of ZAPPDE in the state, Alhaji Adamu Danyaula Matusgi, in a statement said the recent acclaimed achievements in the fight against banditry as captured in the state government’s one-year report card exist but only in the paper as residents live in fair and uncertainty each day.
According to him, there was misguided information about the executed projects.
” The escalating insecurity is now affecting almost all the 14 local government areas in the state.
“We are worried that today in Zamfara, many people whose means of livelihood depend on farming can no longer go to the farm while the few ones that can have to pay bandits during planting and harvesting.
“Already, the level of education in Zamfara is abysmally low. The escalating insecurity has further worsened this situation and we all know that education is key to having a peaceful progressive society.
“Rather than overheating the policy through campaigns of calumny on social media and other platforms to water down the previous efforts to secure the state, the survival of an ordinary man in the state should be the major concern of well-meaning Nigerians including the state government and all it represents.
“To Zamfarawa, there were no projects or infrastructural development when bandits were having a field day attacking, maiming, kidnapping, and killing our people just because of the ineptitude of the government to do the needful.”
The group further said despite the glaring and available data as well as public views, the Zamfara state government has continued to ignore them while misleading the people of Zamfara with acclaimed success in the fight against insecurity.
It also notes that the Zamfara State Government has continued to ignore the chances of cooperating with the federal government, especially the ministry of defence in the ensuring efforts of the fight against insecurity by playing politics with the issue of insecurity.
“Despite his experiences and strong indications of his good intention to cooperate with Zamfara State government on this fight against insecurity; the minister of state defence, was ignored, rebuffed and refused to be involved in such good efforts on the fight against insecurity challenges in the state.
“To be specific, bandits are now holding many enclaves around Tsafe, Dansadau, Shinkafi, Bukkuyum, and Zurmi. Their activities are becoming so disturbing around roads linking Talata Mafara to Mayanci to Bungudu while other suspected groups have taken over Tsafe to Magazu to Wanzamai.
“We are of the view that instead of spending time, money, and energy on perceived political enemies, the current administration should work harder by way of bringing present and past leaders together to salvage the situation before it is too late.”