OPINION

Zamfara Banditry: Governor Dauda Lawal’s Commissioner, Abdulmalik Gajam: Throwing Stones at Glass House

By Ahmed Musa

Let me go down historic memory lane of how Banditry activities began in the north-west bandits-ridden Nigerian state of Zamafara.

A popular Hausa Proverb once said, “MAI DOKAR KWANA BAYA ANGAJE,” literally meaning, “He who says Others should not sleep, Should not be found dozing.”

My heart bled when I heard Abdulmalik Gajam, one of Governor Dauda Lawal’s cabinet members who decided the fate of innocent, vulnerable, and good people of Zamfara State, alleging that the immediate past Governor of Zamfara State, Hon (Dr) Bello Muhammad, Matawllen Maradun, MFR, has once purchased and distributed Hilux cars to Bandits. He went on to say that the former Governor also gave asylum to bandits.

My heart bleeds, particularly, when it goes down memory lane of the genesis of the mayhem and the sorrow that banditry has brought to innocent lives across northwestern Nigeria.

People may not have forgotten in a hurry the case of the first person that was arrested when banditry started in 2011/2012 in Zamfara State, when His Excellency, Ambassador Gajam was the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice. Commissioner Abdulmalik Gajam was a young boy then, so he might not have been in the picture of this story; otherwise, he would have regretted raising the issue of the fight against banditry in Zamfara State.

I, therefore, simply want the Hon Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Abdulmalik Gajam, to find out who that person who was first arrested with AK 47 rifles was.

Again, I would like to ask Hon Abdulmalik Gajam, the assumed Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration spokesperson, to tell the world who Buharin Daji is to the Gajam family. If I may help out, Buharin Daji and Ambassador Gajam, who is a father to Hon Abdulmalik Gajam, are the same parents. If not for the Buharin Daji, who is a biological uncle to Dauda Lawal’s spokesperson (Hon Gajam), the people of Zamfara in particular, and Northern Nigeria in general, would not have known what banditry and bandits are.

The sadness and sorrow, the pains and agony that bandits have brought upon millions of people across northwestern Nigeria emanated from the Gajam family.

Not until recently, when former Gov Matawalle took the bold actions resulting from his wisdom to strategically plan, prepare, and execute far-reaching decisions to tackle insecurity in the state, which His Excellency, Gov Dauda Lawal is now copying without wisdom, culminating in the huge failure of his government to fight the escalating security challenges in the state, bandits would have completely taken over the whole of Northern Nigeria.

Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, and Kebbi States would never forget so soon the atrocities committed by Buharin Daji, whose name spreads like wildfire, especially for killing, kidnapping, raping, cattle rustling, and collecting ransom from innocent villagers, initiated, organized, and executed by Hon. Gajam’s uncle before he was killed on Wednesday, March 7, 2018, by one of his former boys, Dogo Gide, and his decomposed body brought to Gusau, the state capital on March 9.

Abdulmalik Gajam’s uncle promised to commit the deadliest horror to the entire northwestern Nigeria before he was gunned down by one of his rival bandits, Dogo Gide, following disagreement on sharing rustled cows.

Gajam, being a young man without prerequisite knowledge and experience in governance, just like his Principal, should desist from fighting former Gov Bello Matawalle, abandoning the basic responsibility of government which has caused further damage to the lives and property of innocent people across villages and towns in Zamfara State.

I, therefore, urge Gov Dauda Lawal to focus on the fight against banditry in Zamfara State rather than concentrating on a battle he cannot win.

Ahmed Musa is a Public Affairs Commentator and writes from Zamafara.