In the build up to the 2023 general elections and the guber polls in Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal Dare and the Peoples Democratic Party built their campaigns on the rising insecurity and activities of terrorists across the state which formed the hotbed of terrorism in the North West geopolitical region of the country.
During his campaigns across the state, he, Dauda Lawal criticised the many efforts of former Governor Muhammed Bello Matawalle at bringing an end to the insecurity plaguing the state which engaging the known leaders of many terrorists cells operating in the state in a dialogue to bring about lasting peace to the state.
I’m amazed how Nigerians and Zamfarans did not interrogate his intentions and narratives if they were sincere or not?
Coming from a man who has ties and was alleged to have sought clearance to go visit a terrorist who is serving jail term in the United State. His brother in-law is Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab who is popularly referred to as the "Underwear Bomber" or "Christmas Bomber" who, at the age of 23, attempted to detonate plastic explosives hidden in his underwear while on board Northwest Airlines Flight 253, en route from Amsterdam to Detroit, Michigan, on December 25, 2009.
If that is not good enough to raise strong doubts, i believe the upsurge in terrorists’ activities since he got into office which has gone unchecked should be a source of worry. It is on record that on Monday,(26/06/2023) he hosted known terrorists in Shinkafi town in the State in a bid to broker peace.
While many might see it as a case of a dog going back to his vomit, why don’t we look critically and suspiciously as a man calling his dogs to order.
With the immense wealth he claimed he has amassed, and his link to a convicted terrorist, I beseech relevant security agencies to beam their searchlight on him and investigate him for probable sponsorship of terrorism. If he (Dauda Lawal) enjoys immunity from either criminal or civil prosecution, he can be investigated and thoroughly investigated.
This keeps me wondering and I think it’s high time the good people of Zamfara asked; “In whose hands is Zamafara State?”
Is it a Statesman or an enabler of insecurity and terrorism?
Time will tell…
Abubakar Sani writes in from Gusua