A prominent civil society group in Zamfara State, the Association of Zamfara North Concerned Citizens, has called on former Governor Bello Matawalle to contest for a second term in 2027 elections, praising his achievements in tackling insecurity and empowering security agencies while in office. In a statement issued on Friday, the group’s secretary, Muhammed Usman Moriki, highlighted Matawalle’s record as governor of Zamfara State from 2019 to 2023, particularly his efforts in addressing the State’s chronic security challenges despite limited resources.

The association contrasted Matawalle’s tenure with that of the current governor, Dauda Lawal, claiming that the incumbent has failed to deliver tangible results despite receiving significantly larger allocations.

“During his term as governor, Dr Bello Matawalle provided 200 brand-new operational vehicles to security agencies and ensured the payment of a monthly standing imprest to support their operations,” Moriki said.

“This was achieved in just two years, not his entire term, with a meagre budget compared to the billions of naira the current administration receives.” The group listed several key initiatives under Matawalle’s administration, including the establishment of a standing committee to deliver intelligence and promote lasting peace, the deployment of an additional 850 special police forces, and the launch of Operations Puff Adder (I and II) with 275 mobile police personnel.

These efforts, according to the association, led to the rescue of 1,218 kidnapped victims, including 279 schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, and the recovery of over 10,000 rustled animals.

He said Matawalle’s administration also secured the surrender of significant weaponry, including 154 AK-47 rifles, rocket launchers, and thousands of rounds of ammunition, as well as the surrender of 887 locally-made dane guns by repentant bandits.

The group further noted the near-completion of a pilot Ruga settlement project in Maradun LAGA, which reached 90% completion during Matawalle’s tenure as governor.

“These are clear evidence of his work in the area of tackling insecurity in just two years in office.

“He didn’t resort to blaming his predecessor; he addressed challenges squarely with the knowledge of governance,” Moriki said.

The association accused the current administration of failing to address Zamfara’s ongoing security and economic challenges, urging Matawalle, now Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, to return and “finish his tenure as an indefatigable governor.”

“Our leader, we have missed you, and we need you to lead Zamfara State again,” the statement concluded.

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