<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026Accuses state government of aiding illegal mining, calls for non-partisan interim leadership<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A human rights coalition, Northern Citizens Alliance for Justice (NCAJ), has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately declare a state of emergency in Zamfara, citing the total breakdown of governance, worsening insecurity, and the alleged complicity of the state government in criminal mining operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a statement released in Kaduna on Friday, the group\u2019s president, Mallam Kabiru Sani Bako, said no serious intervention can take place in the state unless power is taken out of the hands of political actors currently benefiting from the crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat we are witnessing in Zamfara State is not governance. What we are witnessing is organised abandonment of duty by those elected to serve,\u201d Bako said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe state has no functional House of Assembly, no political will to stop the violence, and a growing body of allegations tying officials to illegal mining. This is no longer politics \u2014 this is betrayal of the people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The group described the security situation in Zamfara as \u201ca slow-burning war that the country is ignoring at its own peril.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bako said residents in many parts of the state now pay levies to bandits to farm or travel, while state actors continue to play politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn towns like Zurmi, Shinkafi, Anka and Bukkuyum, people are no longer safe to attend school, visit markets or sleep with both eyes closed. Women are being abducted, children recruited, and entire communities taxed by non-state actors. And what is the government doing? Trading blame and watching,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The group noted that the lack of a properly constituted state assembly further reinforces the collapse of democracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs we speak, Zamfara has no legally recognised House of Assembly. 10 lawmakers were suspended for speaking out against the security situation in the state. This means the state is being run without the checks and balances that a democracy demands. It is a dictatorship of silence \u2014 and the victims are poor citizens who deserve better,\u201d Bako added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The group also accused the state government of shielding illegal miners, saying credible evidence suggests that proceeds from unregulated mining operations are funding arms purchases by criminal gangs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe same hands that should be protecting Zamfara are profiting from its destruction,\u201d Bako said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe time has come for President Tinubu to step in \u2014 not with rhetoric, but with constitutional force. We are calling for the declaration of a state of emergency and the appointment of a non-partisan administrator to take over the reins and rebuild institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf this is not done now, we risk allowing Zamfara to become a permanent haven for terror cells. The country cannot afford to look away. Lives are being lost daily. And governance has already left the room.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Northern Citizens Alliance for Justice said it will send a detailed dossier to the National Assembly and the National Security Adviser in the coming days to support its demand.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u2026Accuses state government of aiding illegal mining, calls for non-partisan interim leadership A human rights coalition, Northern Citizens Alliance for Justice (NCAJ), has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately declare a state of emergency in Zamfara, citing the total breakdown of governance, worsening insecurity, and the alleged complicity of the state government in criminal…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1858,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1900","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t