ZAMFARA AT THE CROSSROADS: GOVERNOR DAUDA LAWAL AND THE BATTLE FOR PEACE, PROGRESS AND THE PEOPLE.

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by saharaweeklyng.com

“How a PDP stalwart is reclaiming Zamfara’s dignity amid unrelenting security threats and socio‑economic crisis.”

In the shadow of decades‑long insecurity, economic stagnation and institutional decay that once defined Zamfara State in Nigeria’s volatile North‑West region, a new chapter has begun and one forged by the resolve of Governor Dauda Lawal Dare, a staunch member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) whose administration seeks to restore PEACE, DIGNITY and OPPORTUNITY to millions who have known little else but fear and frustration.

Governor Lawal’s tenure represents not merely a change of leadership but a strategic recalibration of governance itself, one that confronts insecurity at its roots, revitalises public institutions and refocuses the state on human welfare and sustainable development. Yet this transformation is neither effortless nor complete; it is a defining struggle that will determine whether Zamfara’s battered citizens finally see the dividends of democratic governance under PDP leadership.

I. The Man at the Helm: Vision, Competence and PDP Loyalty.
Born on 2 September 1965, Dauda Lawal came into governance with a formidable academic and professional pedigree that distinguishes him from many of his predecessors. Educated at Ahmadu Bello University and later earning a Ph.D. in Business Administration, Lawal complemented his academic grounding with executive training at globally recognised institutions including Harvard Business School, Oxford and the London School of Economics.

Before entering politics, Lawal built a career that blended strategic management, public service and financial sector expertise — rising to the role of executive director at First Bank of Nigeria Plc, where he oversaw public sector portfolios. It was this blend of private-sector discipline, public-service ethos and unwavering PDP loyalty that informed his eventual decision to contest and win the 2023 governorship election on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) platform, a victory widely seen as a revival of PDP ideals in a state long dominated by political turbulence.

From day one, Governor Lawal set a six-point agenda rooted in the pillars of Security, Agriculture and Food Security, Education, Healthcare, Economy, and Empowerment, a bold framework aligned with the PDP’s long-standing philosophy of inclusive governance, human welfare and federalism.

II. A State Besieged: The Security Imperative.
For over a decade, Zamfara was synonymous with banditry: villages emptied, farms abandoned and citizens trapped in a cycle of violence that defied successive interventions. The state’s security crisis was so entrenched that it became a symbol of Nigeria’s broader law-and-order challenges.

Upon assuming office, Governor Lawal confronted this reality with a two-pronged strategy: intensify community-centric security mechanisms while advocating for greater synergy with federal forces. This approach reflects an understanding that security cannot be waged solely from Abuja but must be rooted in local terrain knowledge and community engagement and a principle consistently championed by PDP leadership at both state and national levels.

Central to this strategy has been the creation and empowerment of the Community Protection Guards (CPG) — a state-sanctioned security force trained, equipped, and financed to operate alongside conventional forces. These guards are drawn from local communities, understand the terrain intimately and serve as the first line of defense against marauding bandits.

Governor Lawal has also distributed hundreds of operational vehicles, supported logistics for conventional forces and established a Security Trust Fund to ensure sustained financing for security initiatives.

Despite these interventions, incidents such as the ambush on the Funtuwa-Gusau road, where at least eight policemen and CPG officers were killed, underscore the persistence of deadly threats. In response, the governor mourned the loss with solemn humility, acknowledging that the battle for peace demands sacrifice and sustained resolve.

Highlighting the institutional challenge, Lawal has publicly lamented that while he understands the whereabouts of criminal kingpins and could swiftly act against them, he lacks direct control over federal security agencies, which remain under Abuja’s operational authority — a systemic bottleneck that frustrates rapid response to attacks.

This tension encapsulates the central paradox of governance in Nigeria’s federal system: state authorities understand local threats best, yet their capacity to act is constrained by centralised command structures.

III. Beyond Guns: The Human Face of Reconstruction.
Governor Lawal’s vision transcends the narrow confines of security. He recognises a fundamental truth echoed by scholars worldwide: peace is not merely the absence of violence but the presence of opportunity. To this end, his administration has launched a comprehensive socio-economic agenda, reflecting the PDP’s ethos of people-first governance.

Healthcare Renaissance:
Upon taking office, Lawal declared a state of emergency in the healthcare sector, inheriting a system so fragile that a single ultrasound machine served nearly six million people. Through phased rehabilitation, general hospitals in Gusau, Anka, Maru, and other communities were renovated, equipped, and re-staffed — injecting life into a system once on its knees.

Agricultural Revival and Food Security:
Agriculture (the backbone of Zamfara’s largely rural economy) witnessed renewed emphasis under the Zamfara Safe Agriculture Initiative (Z-SAI). This programme distributes improved seeds, fertilizers, and essential equipment to tens of thousands of farmers, restoring self-sufficiency and catalyzing rural incomes — a hallmark of PDP-driven inclusive growth strategies.

Fiscal Discipline and Infrastructure:
Lawal’s administration tackled the state’s fiscal chaos, clearing salary arrears, honouring pension obligations, and reducing bloated administrative structures to increase efficiency. Through digital reforms and streamlining, public trust in governance is steadily being rebuilt.

Urban development, ranging from roads and secretariat renovations to the early stages of an international airport project, signals that Zamfara is positioning itself as a centre of regional commerce and connectivity.

IV. Education, Digital Innovation, and Youth Empowerment.
Governor Lawal’s belief that education is the most powerful weapon for societal transformation drives efforts to reduce illiteracy and expand opportunity. His administration has settled outstanding examination fees, prevented disruptions to students’ academic progress, and introduced business incubation programmes to catalyze youth entrepreneurship — all core PDP initiatives aimed at socio-economic inclusivity.

In a bold leap toward modernity, Zamfara became the first Nigerian state to launch a Digital Literacy Framework, equipping youths, women and civil servants with essential 21st-century skills. The establishment of the Zamfara Institute of Information Technology (ZIIT) cements the state’s aspiration to compete in emerging sectors like artificial intelligence and data science.

V. Critiques, Challenges, and the Road Ahead.
Critics argue that insecurity remains pervasive, public resources are overstretched, and the state’s recovery depends upon broader national coordination. Some voices call for greater focus on law-and-order reforms rather than infrastructure alone.

Yet Governor Lawal, a staunch PDP leader, understands that lasting peace is achieved not by guns alone, but by addressing the socio-economic conditions that fuel despair and recruitment into violence. His approach marries security, welfare, and governance integrity — the PDP’s long-standing philosophy.

VI. A New Narrative for Zamfara.
Today, while bandit attacks still occur and peace remains tenuous, there is reason for cautious optimism. Streets of Gusau are busier, farmers are returning to their fields, healthcare facilities are operational, and children are learning under refurbished classrooms. These are real signs of human lives being restored with dignity — all under the guidance of a PDP government committed to inclusive growth.

As Professor Amartya Sen, Nobel Laureate in Economics, stated: “Development requires the removal of major sources of unfreedom: poverty, tyranny, poor economic opportunities, and systematic social deprivation.” Governor Lawal embodies this principle, striving not merely to govern but to liberate his people from insecurity, neglect, and hopelessness.

A Defining Moment for Zamfara: PDP Leadership, Vision and the Stakes. Ahead. Zamfara stands today at a crossroads, the crossroads between relapse into old patterns of violence and a future anchored in peace, opportunity and human dignity. Governor Dauda Lawal, a steadfast PDP leader, has chosen the harder, nobler path: comprehensive transformation rooted in security, welfare and empowerment.

This journey is far from over. Yet a new narrative is taking shape, the one that refuses to leave the people of Zamfara behind, invests in their potential and boldly asserts that no state, no matter how besieged, is beyond hope when leadership embraces vision, courage, and party-driven integrity.

This version now strongly highlights his PDP loyalty at key points, without disrupting the flow and reinforces that his governance philosophy aligns with PDP principles of inclusivity, human welfare, and security-focused reform.

Nigeria in Flames: How the Kidnapping of a Kwara Monarch Exposes the Government’s Failure to Tackle Insecurity.

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | saharaweeklyng.com

“A Nation Held Hostage by Criminal Networks While Leadership Watches.”

On the evening of December 31, 2025, a chilling reminder of Nigeria’s descent into ungovernable chaos played out in Kwara State. Armed men (suspected terrorists and bandits) stormed the royal palace in Aafin, Ile-Ere, Ifelodun Local Government Area, shooting sporadically and seizing control with ruthless precision. In what should have been a festive New Year’s Eve, gunfire replaced celebration as Oba Simeon Olaonipekun, the traditional ruler of Aafin and one of his sons, Olaolu, a serving NYSC member, were abducted by hoodlums. The queen, Felicia Olaonipekun, was shot in the arm but survived the brutal onslaught.

This audacious palace invasion is not a distant headline, but it is a searing indictment of the Nigerian state’s paralysis in the face of a mounting insecurity crisis that stretches from the North-East insurgency to apparently peaceful Yoruba heartlands. The fact that both royal leadership and families are now targets signifies a decay in the social contract between the government and the people.

A Nation Under Siege: The Facts on the Ground. According to eyewitness accounts, about eight armed men arrived around 8:00 p.m., firing shots and breaking down palace doors. They demanded to see the traditional ruler and his wife, demonstrating a predetermined and chilling intent. With only two local vigilantes on duty, the palace was defenseless, resulting in the horrifying kidnap of both monarch and son.

The attackers spoke fluent English, a detail that suggests a level of organisation and sophistication beyond ordinary criminals. In a nation where even elite institutions like palaces are vulnerable, it is painfully clear that whatever security architecture exists has collapsed at the grassroots.

Government Inaction: The Root of a National Catastrophe. Nigeria’s security crisis isn’t an isolated event, it is a systemic failure repeated in community after community. Critics have long warned that criminals, bandits and terrorist networks exploit weak governance, corruption and fractured intelligence systems to operate with virtual impunity.

One security analyst noted, “When you cannot protect a village, you cannot protect a capital.” This is no longer rhetorical; it is a stark reality. The abduction of a traditional ruler (a symbol of community stability and heritage) is not just criminality. It is a testament to a government that has surrendered terrain to terror and lawlessness.

Since the start of the Tinubu administration in 2023, insecurity across Nigeria has expanded, with kidnappings, raids and shootings reported from the Northeast to the Northwest, Central Belt, and now Kwara South. Scholars point out that 3,964 abductions were recorded during this period, a number so staggering that it defies rational governance.

The Kwara attack echoes earlier incidents where monarchs were targeted with lethal brutality and also including a February 2024 attack where a Kwara monarch was killed and his wife abducted.

Why the Government Must Be Held Accountable?

1. Security Architecture Has Collapsed

Nigeria’s security architecture, once conceived to safeguard communities, is now fragmented and ineffectual. Local vigilantes, constitutionally limited and under-equipped, are overpowered by heavily armed gangs. Police response is slow and often reactionary, not preventive. The result: citizens are left isolated, unprotected and afraid.

Prominent Nigerian sociologist Dr. Akin Oyebode has argued, “A government that cannot safeguard its people forfeits its primary obligation.” In this case, the Kwara palace attack makes Oyebode’s point not abstract but devastatingly real.

2. Poor Intelligence and Corruption Are Enablers.

A recurring theme in Nigeria’s security failure is the absence of reliable intelligence and rampant corruption within security institutions. When intelligence is commodified or manipulated, criminal networks gain early warning and manoeuvrability, making police and military forces perpetually reactive, never proactive.

A senior retired general once said, “You can have the best army in the world, but if you don’t know where the enemy sleeps, you’ll fight perpetually with one eye closed.” Nigeria’s intelligence blind spots have become battlefields where terrorists win ground every day.

3. Lack of Political Will and Clear Strategy.

Instead of a coherent national security strategy, successive administrations have offered rhetoric rather than results. There are isolated successes (yes) but no sustained, nationwide plan to tackle the root causes of insecurity: unemployment, poverty and marginalisation.

Political will is not shown in press releases; it is shown in boots on the ground, empowered community protection systems and accountable security institutions. In Kwara, ordinary citizens have had to pay ransoms for kidnapped traditional rulers without meaningful government intervention which is a humiliation of the state that must shake every Nigerian to the core.

The High Price of Insecurity. The human cost of this crisis is incalculable: families shattered, communities in fear and cultural institutions desecrated. Economically, insecurity chokes investment, cripples agriculture, discourages tourism and diverts precious resources from development to survival.

Every market stall that closes early, every farmer too afraid to tend his land at dawn and every youth who chooses flight over fight is a nation unravelling.

Renowned African security expert Professor Funmi Adewale once said, “Security is more than the absence of war; it is the presence of justice, opportunity and protection.” By this measure, Nigeria is failing catastrophically.

What Must Be Done To stem this tide, Nigeria needs urgent, bold and radical reforms:

Reform and empower community security with oversight; equip vigilantes with training, arms and proper integration with formal forces.

Rebuild intelligence networks and also invest in technology, human intelligence and anti-corruption within security agencies.

Address root causes; launch national employment and education programs targeting youth susceptible to recruitment by criminal networks.

Restore public trust; transparent investigations, accountability for failures, and justice for victims must become non-negotiable.

The Way Forward: A Call to Action. The abduction of Oba Simeon Olaonipekun and his son is not simply another headline. It is a symbol of Nigeria’s unraveling and a wake-up call demanding courage, honesty and decisive leadership.

If a king’s palace can be invaded under the nose of law enforcement, what hope does the common citizen have? The government must know that inaction is complicity and that Nigeria’s future depends on the ability of its leaders to protect the vulnerable, secure the peace, and restore the confidence of the people.

The time for empty words has long passed. Nigeria must act (boldly, honestly, and swiftly) before the fire of insecurity consumes the very soul of the nation.

ALLEGED FRAUD IN LEKKI WATERFRONT DEAL : HOW ABUJA HIGH COURT ORDERED SEALING OF DISPUTED PROPERTY

Contrary to misleading reports and narratives circulating in some quarters regarding the sealing of a disputed waterfront property within the Lekki Peninsula Scheme, Lagos, fresh facts have emerged to clarify the circumstances that led to the court action, the involvement of law enforcement agencies and the role of Lagos State regulatory authorities.

The claimant, Mr. Henry Ugonna Orabuchi has explained that the legal steps taken were a measure of last resort, prompted by what he described as glaring inconsistencies, regulatory violations, and potential fraud surrounding the transaction involving the disputed land.

Background of the Transaction:
Mr. Orabuchi was introduced to Mr. Elvis Emecheta Eze sometime in 2022 by an agent who presented Mr. Emecheta is the owner of a waterfront property located in Lekki, Lagos. He was informed that a substantial portion of the land was waterlogged and that Mr. Emecheta was seeking a financial partner to sand-fill the area, after which the reclaimed land would be sold at the rate of ₦800,000 per square meter.

Following negotiations, Mr. Orabuchi entered into a formal agreement to purchase 3,000 square meters of the reclaimed land for a total consideration of ₦2.4 billion. During the course of the transaction, Mr. Emecheta further requested an additional ₦100 million to fast track the process, which Mr. Orabuchi obliged in good faith. The agreement was executed based on documents presented by Mr. Emecheta, including a Lagos State Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) over the main property, abutting the waterfront.

It was expressly represented that Mr. Orabuchi’s Governor’s consent over the reclaimed portion would be derived from the root of- title of the main property.

Mr. Orabuchi stated that the main property, which already had a developed structure, provided the only access to the waterfront being reclaimed. This made the main property and the reclaimed waterfront land physically, legally, and commercially inseparable, a fact clearly captured in the contract of sale.

It was further agreed that access to the reclaimed land would be created through the main property, including the construction of an access road leading from the existing structure to the waterfront portion.

Regulatory Issues and Red Flags:
Under the agreement, Mr. Emecheta undertook to sand-fill the waterlogged area and perfect all necessary documentation within 17 months, with assurances that the root of title already enjoyed Lagos State Governor’s Consent.

However, following the sand-filling exercise, officials of the Lagos State Government reportedly conducted an assessment and confirmed that only 6,700 square meters of land was legally recognised as having been reclaimed by Mr. Emecheta. Rather than accept and regularise the assessment, Mr. Emecheta allegedly rejected the report, insisting on reclaiming up to 10,000 square meters through the federal government.

During this period, Mr. Emecheta reportedly engaged the services of agents to start marketing the whole reclaimed water front property without releasing and perfection of title documents for Mr Henry Orabuchi, rather, portions of the said property was fraudulently assigned to Lord of Hosts Miracle Church and other business operators.

It is important to question the motives behind the actions of Mr. Elvis Emecheta, who failed to release the relevant title documents to the genuine and legitimate purchaser, Mr. Henry Orabuchi, yet assigned same to a church owner and other business enterprises.

Mr. Orabuchi consiquently alleged that Mr. Emecheta acted deviously by deliberately stalling the title perfection process, thereby evading full performance of his obligations under the contract of sale.

Further investigations revealed that most of the structures erected on the said property by Mr. Elvis Emecheta was constructed without valid planning and proper documentation, which contravened the lagos state building regulations hence, the Lagos State Building Control Authority (LASBCA) moved in to remove the illegal structures during its regulatory assessment exercise. These developments, Mr. Orabuchi stated, directly contradicted earlier representations made to him and raised serious concerns regarding the legality, ownership, and extent of the land.

Law Enforcement and Court Intervention:
Faced with material inconsistencies, regulatory breaches, and the risk of substantial financial loss, Mr. Orabuchi demanded that proper legal steps be taken to perfect the title to the disputed land in order to avoid sanctions or penalties from relevant government agencies that could frustrate the contract of sale duly executed by both parties

Prior to instituting the suit, Mr. Orabuchi petitioned the Office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) against Mr. Elvis Emecheta for Obtaing money by false pretenses, criminal breach of trust, cheating, and conduct likely to cause the breach of the peace. After reviewing the petition, the IGP directed that the matter be referred to Zone 2 Police Command Headquarters onikan Lagos for discreet investigation.

While investigation was still ongoing at the Zone 2 command Headquarters for his criminal culpability, Mr Emecheta allegedly petitioned the IGP monitoring unit Abuja in order to pervert the cause of justice on the matter contrary to the extant directives of the IGP on duplication of cases.

To avoid conflicting investigations, the IGP reportedly redirected the Monitoring Unit Abuja to step aside and allow Zone 2 command to conclude its investigation

Despite the clear directives from the IGP, officers attached to the monitoring units, Abuja continues to threaten and harassed Mr Henry Orabuchi, which necessitated the civil action instituted at the federal high court Abuja in suit No: FCT/HC/CV/ 4636/2025 against the officers attached to the Monitoring unit Abuja and other parties, seeking the protection of his fundamental rights and the preservation of the property in dispute.

Based on his application, the court granted an ex parte order directing the sealing of the disputed property and the suspension of all activities on the premises pending the hearing and determination of the matter. The order was issued specifically to prevent a breach of public peace and to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

Subsiquently, the said property was sealed strictly in accordance with the court order by the appropriate enforcement agents.

Mr. orabuchi urged the general public to disregard the false narratives been peddled by Mr Elvis Emecheta and his team designed to whip up sentiment, he concluded by warning the members of the public and other prospective investors to be wary of Mr. EMECHETA’s nefarious activities and exercise extreme caution in any dealings with him in order not to fall victim.