A former senator from Zamfara StateKabiru Marafa said successive governors of the state did not reveal the true state of insecurity in the state to avoid accusing themselves.
Marafa made the statement while addressing journalists after meeting President Bola Tinubu at the Government House in Abuja.
The terrorists, locally called bandits, have devastated communities in Zamfara and most northern and western states for more than a decade in perhaps the largest kidnapping-for-ransom franchise in the country’s history.
Despite repeated assurances from the states and the federal government to rid the area of these outlaws, insecurity has increased as the bandits have relentlessly attacked farming communities, travelers and educational institutions.
Millions of people have been killed or displaced as a result of these attacks.
Marafa, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the former governors believed they would be accused of failing in their duties if they revealed the true state of insecurity and humanitarian crisis in the state.
However, Marafa, who lost his bid to return to the Senate during the 2023 general election, said revealing how deeply insecure the state is would have helped resolve the crisis.
“Then, the insecurity of Zamfara, especially in the area of the huge humanitarian crisis we have in the state, which many Nigerians are not aware of because successive governments in the state tried not to bring the issue to the fore.
“Because, for some reason, they think that bringing the issue to the forefront is like an accusation on them or a failure on their part. Whereas, for me, I think bringing it to light and letting everyone know what we are going through will be key to finding solutions to the problem,” Marafa said.
things are difficult
Marafa, who supported the removal of fuel subsidy by President Tinubu, said the decision is making things difficult for Nigerians.
He said he supported removing the fuel subsidy because, as a former chairman of the Senate committee for the downstream sector, he was aware of the rot in the sector.
The opposition should support Tinubu
Marafa also called on the opposition to join hands with Tinubu to build the country.
“So I hope that at the national level our elders will do the same (accept the election result and the court decision as they did when he lost his seat). They have exhausted their rights. Then, it’s over. Let us now move on to building Nigeria. Let us now see the plight of the masses.
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“They know that things are very difficult and hard, which is due to the elimination of the subsidy, which is essential. I was the chairman of the Senate Downstream Petroleum Committee. So I know what’s going on in the area. Furthermore, the dollar exchange rate is aggravating the country’s difficulties,” Marafa stated.
He said he discussed, among other things, politics in Zamfara State with the President.
Zamfara was governed by the APC, but the party lost to the opposition People’s Democratic Party during March 18.
The APC, however, won the most votes during the presidential election.
Marafa said he chronicled the events leading up to the elections during his visit.
