The administration of Governor Dauda Lawal has come under fire from the Northern Front for Peace and Accountability, NFPA. The organization has criticised Governor Dauda Lawal over what it described as the worsening security situation in Zamfara State, while further accusing his administration of failing to provide leadership amid escalating terrorist attacks and growing public fear.
During a press brief held in Kaduna on Tuesday, the 30th of December, 2025, the president of the group, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi Kaura, pointed to a recent tragedy involving a suspected bomb explosion along the Yar’Tasha–Dansadau road in Maru Local Government Area.
Kaura suggested that this disaster has exposed what he called “a dangerous collapse of governance and security coordination” within the region.
The group emphasized that the latest attack, which left several travellers feared dead, is not a random event but a broader pattern of violence that has continued unchecked across major highways and rural communities in Zamfara.
This trend has left locals increasingly vulnerable to attacks by armed groups who now operate with “disturbing confidence and frequency”.
A primary grievance of the NFPA is the perceived gap between the administration and the suffering of the people. Kaura remarked: “The people of Zamfara are under siege. Daily, innocent citizens are killed, abducted, or forced to flee their homes, yet the state government appears overwhelmed and largely absent. Leadership is about presence, direction, and decisive action, especially in times of crisis. Sadly, these have been missing.”
The group raised concerns over reports that Governor Lawal has been out of the state for several weeks, characterizing this period of absence as “ill-timed and indefensible” noting that it has reinforced perceptions of a leadership vacuum at a critical moment.
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Kaura argued that previous administrations had demonstrated that insecurity, while complex, could be confronted with political will, contrasting current events with past governance styles. He noted: “During the Yari years, there was a clear strategy, however controversial some aspects were. The governor was visible, security meetings were constant, and there was a sense that the government was actively confronting the problem. Zamfara needs that urgency again.”
In response to the crisis, the northern group called for an immediate security summit involving traditional rulers, community leaders, security agencies, and federal authorities to create a coordinated response to the crisis.
Additionally, the NFPA also urged the federal government to closely monitor the situation, fearing the region might become “a permanent stronghold for armed groups if left unchecked.
The statement ended with a sharp inquiry from Kaura: “As citizens bury their dead and abandon their farms and roads, the question on everyone’s lips remains simple: Where is the government of Zamfara State, and when will it rise to its responsibility of protecting lives and property?”