Residents of Zamfara’s Gummi area are furious after a deadly boat accident claimed lives while fleeing bandits.
They accused Governor Dauda Lawal of neglecting campaign promises and failing to protect citizens.
Residents of Gummi Local Government Area in Zamfara State have expressed anger at Governor Dauda Lawal Dare, accusing his administration of failing to safeguard lives amid worsening insecurity.
Their outrage comes after a tragic boat accident on August 29 in Nasarawar Kifi claimed at least 14 lives, including seven women and four children, while three others remain unaccounted for.
According to locals, the victims were trying to escape from armed bandits when the overloaded boat capsized.
Community representatives blamed the governor for what they described as unfulfilled campaign promises and negligence in addressing the security crisis across the state.
“During the 2023 campaigns, Governor Dauda Lawal assured us here in Gummi that insecurity would be tackled decisively,” said community leader Lukman Ibrahim Gummi. “That assurance gave us hope, and many of us supported him because of it. But since taking office, he has left us to our fate.”
Residents further alleged that the governor has not set foot in Gummi since assuming power and has offered no form of sympathy or assistance to grieving families.
“This neglect is not peculiar to Gummi; it extends to Bukkuyum, Anka, Maru, Zurmi and Shinkafi,” Ibrahim added. “Our women and children are dying while fleeing from gunmen, yet the governor prioritizes political gatherings in Kauran Namoda. It appears politics is valued more than our lives.”
Community members described the state government’s silence after the boat mishap as both insensitive and irresponsible.
“This is not the first time insecurity is taking away our loved ones,” one resident lamented. “But it is the first time we are faced with a government that responds with silence instead of compassion.”
They stressed that true leadership should be defined by empathy, presence, and accountability rather than “lofty campaign rhetoric.”
The residents called for urgent intervention by security agencies and the federal government, warning that entire communities in Zamfara could collapse under the weight of unchecked banditry.
