Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal
By HARUNA AHMED, Gusau –
Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has cautioned that negotiating peace with armed groups while allowing them to retain their weapons only serves to prolong violence and undermine state authority.
The governor made this remark in Abuja during the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 18 at the National Institute for Security Studies, themed: _“Non-state Actors in Security Management: Issues, Challenges, and Prospects for Peace and Development in Africa – A Zamfara State Perspective.”_
A statement by his media aide, Suleiman Idris, on Wednesday in Gusau, detailed the governor’s position on the security dynamics confronting Zamfara and the broader African region.
Governor Lawal said the forum provided a chance to reflect on the lessons from Zamfara’s experience, which mirrors the wider struggles for peace, stability, and growth across the continent.
> “Over the past two decades, Africa’s security landscape has evolved beyond traditional definitions. The assumption that the state alone wields the monopoly of force is being challenged by various non-state actors—ranging from vigilante groups and insurgents to transnational criminal networks,” he said.
He explained that Zamfara’s security crisis is rooted in years of socio-economic neglect, resource competition, and the impacts of climate change.
Other contributing factors, he noted, include the proliferation of small arms from regional conflicts, weakening traditional institutions, limited law enforcement capacity, and rising youth unemployment.
Lawal emphasized that upon taking office in 2023, his administration recognized that protecting lives and property was the core responsibility of government.
> “Effective security management cannot succeed without the active participation of local communities. Our strategy rests on three interconnected pillars,” he explained.
According to him, the government has strengthened coordination among security agencies through a unified State Security Council, created Community Protection Guards (CPG) to support law enforcement, and promoted intelligence sharing among traditional rulers, local councils, and security operatives.
He added that peace committees have been established in every local government area—comprising emirs, clerics, youth, and women leaders—to mediate disputes, rebuild trust, and promote lasting peace.
Furthermore, the state government is collaborating with the Office of the National Security Adviser and development partners on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE), with a focus on rehabilitation, reintegration, and trauma recovery.
Governor Lawal, however, criticized the unregulated peace initiatives ongoing in parts of the North-West involving armed groups.
> “Dialogue is important in conflict resolution, but genuine peace requires disarmament and reconciliation. Dialogue without control equates to surrender. Allowing armed groups to keep their weapons while negotiating peace terms only postpones violence and weakens state sovereignty,” he warned.
He urged that peace efforts in the region must be coordinated, state-driven, and backed by legitimate authority, adding that governments must demonstrate both the will and capacity to enforce peace and uphold the rule of law.
Also speaking, the Commandant of the National Institute for Security Studies, J.O. Obama, commended Governor Lawal’s presentation for its practical insights into managing security challenges.
> “His Excellency has laid out the realities, challenges, and prospects for a new Zamfara. Having grown up there myself, I can attest to the transformation he has brought—from a narrative of negativity to one of progress,” Obama said.
