‘We are winning the war on banditry,’ Zamfara gov tells World Bank reps

Governor Dauda Lawal has informed the World Bank that his administration is gradually winning the war against banditry in Zamfara State. The governor was on an official visit to the World Bank office in Abuja on Friday.

A statement by the spokesperson of the Zamfara Governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, disclosed that the meeting focused on development projects in education, health, climate resilience, and agriculture.

The statement added that the visit is expected to strengthen cooperation and partnership between the Zamfara state government and the World Bank.

In his remarks, Governor Lawal emphasized his administration’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the World Bank.

“I want to begin by thanking the World Bank for its ongoing support for our state. We have aligned our development objectives with the World Bank’s mission to alleviate poverty and promote sustainable development.

“We also recognise the security challenges that have previously impacted project implementation in Zamfara State, particularly those that have hindered the full achievement of targets due to constraints on operational activities. We are, however, making progress as the challenge is being addressed, and things are returning to normal.

“We have enhanced security measures through proactive steps taken by the state to improve security through increased patrols and strategic measures that mitigate threats.

“Our administration is dedicated to ensuring the safety of lives and property by providing adequate logistics and support to security agencies to maintain peace and stability.”

Governor Lawal assured the World Bank staff of their safety during support, supervision, and monitoring visits, including secure accommodations, transportation, and communication protocols.

“I assure the World Bank that we have established mechanisms for ongoing security assessments to promptly address any emerging threats and ensure a secure environment for all development partners.

“Banditry attacks on our highways, villages, and cities are under control. We are gradually winning the war against criminals, and life is returning to our communities. This is evident in the number of incidents reported daily and the increasing project implementation across the length and breadth of Zamfara State.

“Let me conclude by extending our invitation to the Country Director to visit Zamfara anytime soon and see the implementation of all World Bank-supported programs and our modest efforts in changing the narrative in our state.”

The World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Dr Ndiamé Diop, commended Governor Lawal for positively advancing Zamfara State.

“I am impressed by the system you put in place. Congratulations on achieving such feats in such a very short time.”

During the meeting, the Task Team Leader of the NG-CARES project highlighted the success of the implementation model in Zamfara. “We are not only adopting the Zamfara model in other states of Nigeria but are also extending it to other countries for implementation. I must commend the governor and the state government for their efforts,” she said.