The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Zamfara State has criticised Governor Dauda Lawal for travelling to Ethiopia as the state grapples with a deadly attack in Bindin, Maru Local Government Area (LGA).
The party’s criticism came amid conflicting accounts of the attack, with reports putting the number of people killed at 17, including 12 soldiers and five artisanal miners.
The Nigerian Army, however, has yet to confirm the casualty figures, saying operations are still ongoing in the area.
The attack reportedly occurred on Monday, when armed men moved into a mining site and later engaged troops in Bindin. Local accounts said the violence may have been in retaliation for the killing of a bandit by artisanal miners.
Zamfara State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Yazid Abubakar, confirmed that an incident occurred in Bindin but referred questions on the details to Operation FANSAN YAMMA, which has operational responsibility for the area.
The Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 8 Division/Sector 2, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lieutenant-Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, declined to confirm the reported casualties, saying military operations were still underway.
“We are conducting an operation in the area presently. I cannot confirm anything to you until we have finished our operation there,” he said.
The NDC, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Murtala Gusau, condemned the attack and criticised Lawal for joining a Federal Government delegation to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The governor left Nigeria on Tuesday with Vice President Kashim Shettima and other officials for the Nigeria-Ethiopia Nutrition Leadership Exchange, which runs from October 7 to 9.
The party said Lawal should have remained in Zamfara to identify with residents and families affected by the attack.
“Leadership is defined by presence and empathy in times of crisis,” the NDC said.
It also faulted the Federal Government for including the governor in the delegation and called on Lawal to return to the state and address residents over the security situation.
The party further demanded that those responsible for the Bindin attack be brought to justice.
The reported deaths have also been independently reported by AFP, which said five miners were killed at an artisanal mining site before the attackers moved into Bindin and 12 soldiers were killed in a shootout. The agency noted that the military had not responded to requests for comment.
The NDC said the people of Zamfara deserved leadership that prioritised their safety and wellbeing, while the state government had yet to publicly respond to the party’s criticism.
Discussion0