Omotayo Adigun
The Northern Citizens Alliance for Justice (NCAJ) has issued an urgent call to President Bola Tinubu to declare an immediate state of emergency in Zamfara State, citing a severe security crisis, a “total breakdown of governance,” and alleged involvement of state government officials in illegal mining operations fueling the conflict.
In a statement released in Kaduna on Friday, April 11, 2025, NCAJ President Mallam Kabiru Sani Bako argued that meaningful intervention in the state is impossible unless power is removed from current political actors perceived to be benefiting from the ongoing instability.
“What we are witnessing in Zamfara State is not governance. What we are witnessing is organised abandonment of duty by those elected to serve,” Bako asserted.
The group painted a grim picture of the security situation, describing it as “a slow-burning war that the country is ignoring at its own peril.”
According to Bako, residents in towns such as Zurmi, Shinkafi, Anka, and Bukkuyum live in constant fear, unable to attend school, visit markets, or sleep securely.
He stated that communities are effectively being taxed by bandits for basic activities like farming and travel, while women face abduction and children are recruited by non-state actors, allegedly with little effective response from the state government beyond “trading blame.”
NCAJ further highlighted the lack of constitutional governance, pointing to the absence of a functional State House of Assembly.
“As we speak, Zamfara has no legally recognised House of Assembly. 10 lawmakers were suspended for speaking out against the security situation in the state,” Bako explained.
“This means the state is being run without the checks and balances that a democracy demands. It is a dictatorship of silence — and the victims are poor citizens who deserve better.”
READ ALSO:Â Terror Strikes Again: Bandits Raid Marere Village in Zamfara, Abduct Locals
The group also leveled serious accusations regarding illegal mining, claiming credible evidence suggests the state government is shielding operators whose activities fund arms purchases for criminal gangs.
“The same hands that should be protecting Zamfara are profiting from its destruction,” Bako alleged.
Consequently, NCAJ demanded decisive federal action.
“The time has come for President Tinubu to step in — not with rhetoric, but with constitutional force. We are calling for declaring a state of emergency and appointing a non-partisan administrator to take over the reins and rebuild institutions,” the statement urged.
The group warned that inaction risks allowing Zamfara to become a “permanent haven for terror cells.”
NCAJ announced its intention to submit a detailed dossier outlining its concerns and evidence to the National Assembly and the National Security Adviser in the coming days to substantiate its call for emergency rule.