"Sani Shinkafi Speaks Out: State of Emergency Not Needed in Zamfara!"
Political Figure from APGA Discusses Proposal for Tinubu to Implement State of Emergency in Zamfara State
The ex-National Secretary of APGA, Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, has unequivocally dismissed pleas for a state of emergency in Zamfara State, asserting that the scenario there significantly diverges from that of Rivers State.
Shinkafi, a previous Zamfara governorship aspirant, speaking on behalf of the Peace and Social Development Advancement Group (PAPSD), labeled the emergency calls as power play manipulations, lackluster thinking, and blatantly unconstitutional.
Daily Post reported that he deemed these initiatives as provocative attempts to create turmoil, interfering with Governor Dauda Lawal's mission to bring order to the state.
"There's no likeness between the two states. The conditions that led to Rivers State's state of emergency declaration don't pertain to Zamfara," Shinkafi stated.
He pointed out that the tumultuous condition and political strife in Zamfara originate from the failure of opposition figures to triumph through lawful elections and their current sponsorship of protests to realize their objectives by covert methods.
These ongoing demonstrations requesting a state of emergency are part of a broad conspiracy by certain Zamfara factions, who oppose the governor's progress and strive to gain their lost victories illicitly.
"They endeavor to gain through the backdoor what they lost in elections," Shinkafi underscored.
Shinkafi made clear that the disorder, armed insurgency, and kidnapping confronting Zamfara aren’t exclusive to the state. These predicaments have persisted before the present administration and are generally linked to farming season racketeering opportunities provided to criminals.
He elucidated that the surge in armed banditry is part of a more extensive security predicament facing multiple Nigerian states.
"In comparison to previous years, security in Zamfara State has remarkably enhanced," Shinkafi contended. Yet, he lamented the dissemination of older attack videos and pictures on social media to unhinge the state and tarnish the reputation of Governor Lawal's administration.
Shinkafi also denounced the constitutional constraints posed on state governors' security management powers. He advocated for Constitution amendment to grant governors the capacity to deploy security forces in their states to rapidly address security lapses.
"The appellation of chief security officers of their states remains nominal," he insisted.
He beseeched President Bola Tinubu and the military command forces to expeditiously tackle Zamfara and other states' security concerns. He urged the Federal Government to provide military personnel with adequate equipment and motivation to effectively combat criminal elements.
"We acclaim the military personnel's efforts and urge the Federal Government to inspire them and provide requisite weapons to outmaneuver these criminal elements," he declared.
To reinforce public security, Shinkafi suggested that Governor Lawal convenes an emergency security summit. The conference would comprise critical players such as security chiefs, religious leaders, traditional rulers, local government chairmen, and civil society organizations.
"This move will further secure public wellbeing and order, discourage further security lapses witnessed during Kaura Namoda," he concluded.
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Source: The Guardian, Daily Post, Vanguard, Premium Times, Sahara Reporters, and ThisDay
Note: Information based on these sources is incorporated for additional context but should not be construed as comprehensive.
- Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, speaking as a representative of the Peace and Social Development Advancement Group (PAPSD), has disputed the calls for a state of emergency in Zamfara State, likening the demands to power play manipulations and unconstitutional actions.
- Shinkafi emphasized that the chaotic situation and political unrest in Zamfara are largely due to opposition figures' inability to win elections legitimately and their subsequent resort to protests as covert means to achieve their goals.
- These protests, which request a state of emergency, are part of a broader conspiracy by certain Zamfara factions who oppose Governor Dauda Lawal's progress and seek to regain lost victories illicitly.
- Shinkafi highlighted that the disorder, armed insurgency, and kidnapping in Zamfara are not limited to the state and are rooted in farming season racketeering opportunities that have faced multiple Nigerian states for years.
- Calling for policy and legislative changes, Shinkafi proposed amending the Constitution to expand the powers of state governors to enable them to address security lapses more effectively.
- He urged President Bola Tinubu and the military command forces to promptly address the security concerns in Zamfara and other states, providing military personnel with the necessary equipment and motivation to combat criminal elements effectively.
- Amid rising insecurity in Zamfara, the NAIGA leader suggests that Governor Lawal convene an emergency security summit, involving key stakeholders like security chiefs, religious leaders, traditional rulers, local government chairmen, and civil society organizations, to enhance public safety and order, and to prevent further security breaches like those witnessed in Kaura Namoda.
- Against this backdrop of ongoing political and security crises in Zamfara, various stakeholders and media outlets like The Guardian, Daily Post, Vanguard, Premium Times, Sahara Reporters, and ThisDay are providing diverse perspectives and updates, shedding light on the complexities of the situation in Nigeria's general news landscape.
