*Declare State Of Emergency In Zamfara To Sanction Governor Now, Human Rights Watchdog Tells Tinubu

The Human Rights Watchdog in Africa (HRWA) has demanded that President Bola Tinubu declare a state of emergency in the troubled northwest state, accusing Governor Dauda Lawal of fueling insecurity through reckless political gamesmanship and a blatant disregard for human life.

The urgent call, issued on November 28, 2025, comes in direct response to explosive reports that over 500 inmates convicted of banditry-related offences—many jailed under previous administrations—have been mysteriously released from the Gusau Correctional Facility.

Insiders at the facility revealed that among the freed prisoners were 69 hardened bandits who allegedly received a secret state pardon from Governor Lawal as far back as September 2025.

Further details emerged that these ex-inmates were funnelled through the Zamfara State Zakat and Endowment Board for “religious amnesty,” ostensibly to aid their reintegration into society.

Compounding the outrage, sources confirmed that eight suspects remanded in January 2022 for heinous crimes—including criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, dealing in human parts, and cannibalism—were among those who benefited from what HRWA described as Lawal’s “backdoor amnesty.”

The releases, tied to convictions from the tenures of former Governor Senator Abdul’aziz Yari and ex-Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle (now Minister of State Defence), have plunged thousands of Zamfara residents into “a serious circle of confusion and fear,” with communities bracing for a potential resurgence of violence.

HRWA Executive Director Samson Adamu, in a fiery statement, lambasted Lawal for treating the state’s rampant banditry crisis as a mere political football.

“This is sacrilegious and totally against humanity,” Adamu declared. “Governor Lawal has never truly taken the insecurity plaguing Zamfara seriously—always playing politics while our people bleed.

“Since he assumed office, things have deteriorated catastrophically: villages razed, families torn apart, and now this betrayal by unleashing convicted killers back onto our streets under the guise of amnesty.”

Adamu accused Governor Lawal of empty boasts about ending banditry “in two months” while secretly shielding perpetrators.

“It’s a mockery of justice and a death sentence for innocent civilians. How can a leader who claims to know every bandit kingpin’s hideout—down to their phone locations—then pardon the very monsters terrorising his people?

“This isn’t governance; it’s complicity. Lawal’s actions have emboldened criminals, eroded trust in the system, and turned Zamfara into a bandit haven. If he won’t protect his citizens, President Tinubu must step in—now.”

The watchdog urged Tinubu to invoke emergency powers under the Nigerian Constitution to suspend Lawal, overhaul the state’s security apparatus, and launch a federal probe into the pardons. “Sanction him hard,” Adamu emphasised.

“Strip away his authority before more blood is spilled. HRWA stands with the voiceless victims of Zamfara; we will not rest until accountability prevails.”

*‘PIA Implementation on Track’ — Niger Delta Accountability Network Knocks Reps Committee Over ‘Misleading’ Trillion-Naira Claims*

An oil and gas watchdog, the Niger Delta Accountability and Resource Protection Network (NDARPN), has refuted claims by the House of Representatives Committee on the South South Development Commission alleging that Nigeria’s failure to implement key Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) funds has deprived the region of over ₦1 trillion.

In a statement issued on Friday in Port Harcourt, the group’s president, Comrade Ebikabo West, described the committee’s assertions as “sensational, misleading and potentially damaging to the investment stabilisation the PIA has steadily cultivated”.

West said the PIA’s implementation by the respective regulatory bodies, particularly in the management of host community development funds and environmental obligations, has been impactful and more transparent than any pre-PIA framework.

He warned lawmakers against political statements that could “erode investor confidence or disrupt the delicate progress achieved so far”.

“It is simply inaccurate to suggest that the Niger Delta has been denied trillions because the funds are not being operated in the dramatic fashion being portrayed,” West said.

“The host communities development provisions of the PIA are being effectively and rigorously monitored. The regulatory framework now ensures that communities benefit directly, with clear oversight and traceability.”

According to him, the PIA created enforceable obligations that regulators now track with far stronger compliance mechanisms than existed before.

He added that the narrative of “non-implementation” ignores verifiable progress across host communities and environmental management.

“We must be careful not to weaponise environmental concerns or misrepresent regulatory processes. Such portrayals undermine the credibility of reforms and weaken the collective fight for environmental justice,” West warned.

He also emphasised that Nigeria is steadily rebuilding the confidence of multinational oil companies that exited the country due to years of regulatory instability, conflicting directives and institutional pressure that once “strangled investment”.

“After decades of uncertainty, Nigeria now has a stable legislative and fiscal environment. It is only wise to allow the relevant agencies to carry out their mandates strictly within the dictates of the PIA. Any attempt to drag them into political theatrics will jeopardise the gradual return of investor confidence,” the group added.

NDARPN said the National Assembly’s oversight role is important, but must be evidence-based and not driven by assumptions capable of creating confusion or tension in the sector.

“What the Niger Delta needs is consolidation, not disruption. Let the institutions empowered by the PIA continue their work without undue pressure. That is the surest path to accountability, environmental protection and sustainable development,” West advised.

From Chaos to Coordination: The Case for Veteran Security Leaders in Nigeria

FEMI OYEWALE

As Nigeria grapples with a fresh and more diffuse wave of violent attacks—from mass abductions and jihadist offensives in the northeast to rising banditry and communal violence across the North and Middle Belt—citizens and policymakers are asking a pressing question: who is fit to lead the country out of this security quagmire? For many, the answer is clear: experienced security professionals who combine operational expertise, institutional memory, and political acumen—traits embodied by former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.

A deteriorating security landscape

This is no rhetorical problem. In recent months, insurgent activity has surged: mass kidnappings of schoolchildren, renewed offensives by IS-affiliated factions in the Lake Chad Basin, and a humanitarian fallout that has pushed millions toward food insecurity. United Nations and humanitarian assessments warn that escalating attacks and aid shortfalls may leave record numbers of Nigerians vulnerable to hunger.

The federal government has responded with declarations and expanded recruitment. President Bola Tinubu declared a nationwide emergency and moved to increase policing and security deployments following high-profile kidnappings. But analysts argue that while necessary, these steps are insufficient without a deeper overhaul of strategy, intelligence, and civil-military coordination.

What experienced security actors bring

Supporters of involving seasoned security leaders point to several complementary strengths:

1. Operational know-how and strategic continuity

Career generals like Buratai have overseen complex counter-insurgency campaigns and institutional reforms. Their experience—ranging from combined-arms operations and logistics under duress to theater-level coordination with regional partners—is not easily replaced. Buratai himself has argued that simplistic personnel changes will not end insurgency without properly understood strategies.

2. Intelligence and information integration

Modern insurgencies thrive on intelligence gaps: porous borders, weak human networks, and poor data-sharing between military, police, and civil authorities. Experienced security professionals are better positioned to rebuild intelligence architectures, including cross-border liaison in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, where jihadist groups operate across borders. Recent analyses highlight this cross-border threat environment and stress the need for coordinated military and intelligence responses.

3. Institutional reform and troop welfare

Studies of Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram highlight recurring problems: low troop morale, logistical shortfalls, intelligence leaks, and strained community relations—all of which blunt operational effectiveness. Experts with institutional experience can advocate structural reforms—improved supply chains, training, and rules of engagement—that strengthen forces without alienating civilians.

4. Political navigation and credibility

Security solutions in Nigeria require buy-in at federal, state, and local levels. Former service chiefs often retain connections inside government and among regional partners and can serve as intermediaries between uniformed forces and civilian authorities—a role proven critical in past crises. Buratai’s recent public interventions on national security issues demonstrate how ex-service chiefs continue shaping public debate and policy.

Acknowledging risks and criticisms

Inviting former generals into leadership roles is not a panacea. Critics cite potential issues: militarization of civilian governance, heavy-handed tactics that alienate communities, and insufficient focus on root causes such as poverty, governance gaps, youth unemployment, and communal grievances. Military success must be paired with governance, development, and reconciliation for durable peace.

There is also a political dimension: using high-profile military figures risks politicizing security campaigns if appointments are perceived as partisan or operational freedom is constrained. Transparency, clear legal mandates, and civilian oversight are essential safeguards.

A pragmatic middle path: experts as partners, not replacements

The most defensible approach is hybrid: appoint or empower seasoned security experts as advisers and architects of reform while ensuring civilian control and robust safeguards. Key policy measures include:

Integrated intelligence reform: Build interoperable systems fusing military, police, and domestic security data; strengthen cross-border intelligence sharing in the Sahel and Lake Chad regions.

Focused professionalization of forces: Prioritize logistics, asymmetric warfare training, troop welfare, and clear rules of engagement to reduce abuses and improve morale.

Community-centered stabilization: Pair operations with local security committees, humanitarian access, agricultural support, and reconciliation to deny insurgents social support.

Regional and international coordination: Work with neighboring states, ECOWAS, the African Union, and partners to close safe havens and cut finance and supply lines for extremist groups.

Clear civilian oversight and legal frameworks: Ensure any role for former senior officers is defined by statutes, reporting lines, and parliamentary oversight.

Nigeria’s security challenge in 2025 is complex and urgent: the country faces a resurgent, adaptive insurgency network with severe humanitarian consequences. Discarding institutional know-how is a luxury Nigeria cannot afford. Experienced security professionals like Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai are not magic bullets—but they bring operational experience, institutional knowledge, and networks that, when embedded within a framework emphasizing civilian oversight, development, and regional cooperation, can materially improve Nigeria’s chances of restoring security.

The essential test will be whether policymakers pair expert military advice with meaningful reforms in intelligence, governance, and community engagement—otherwise, the cycle of violence and humanitarian suffering will continue.