The Yoruba Youth Council (YYC) has urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Zamfara State to restore peace and stability.
The call comes amid deepening political crisis and worsening security situation in the state.
In a press statement signed by National Coordinator, Comrade Eric Oluwole, the YYC expressed concern over the struggle for supremacy and legitimacy between two factions of State’s House of Assembly, as well as the state governor’s alleged inaction.
The council noted that the security situation has deteriorated, with increased attacks by bandits resulting in killings and abductions, lamenting that meanwhile legislators were preoccupied with power tussles.
The statement noted the parallel Houses of Assembly, with one faction threatening to impeach Governor Dauda Lawal over allegations of worsening insecurity, economic hardship, and mass sacking of civil servants.
The YYC warned that the crisis could degenerate further and called for a state of emergency to restore normalcy.
The statement read: “We in the YYC are disturbed by the worsening crisis and state of unrest in Zamfara State, caused by the struggle for supremacy and legitimacy between the two factions of the state’s House of Assembly and the state Governor lawal refuse to do anything about it.
“More worrisome is the worsening security situation in the state, as attacks by bandits resulting in many killings and abductions, are on the rise, while legislators busy themselves in power tussle.
“For now, the two factions the two factions operate two parallel Houses of Assembly, each claiming supremacy, with one faction threatening to impeach Governor Dauda Lawal due to his lack of good governance, over allegations of worsening insecurity, economic hardship, and mass sacking of civil servants, among others.
“In fact, the faction comprising ten suspended lawmakers of the 24-member original House of Assembly, made of PDP and APC members, and led by its Speaker, Hon. Bashar Aliyu Gummi (Gummi 1 constituency), has given the Governor a one month ultimatum to redress the escalating insecurity, and reabsorb the sacked 4,000 civil servants or be impeached, threatening, ‘The governor must act swiftly or face consequences.’
“This faction has even taken the crisis to the national stage as the suspended lawmakers, in a protest in Abuja, faulted the actions of the other faction as unconstitutional, illegal, null and void, and their suspension as an assault on democracy.
“On the other hand, the other faction’s Speaker, Bilyaminu Moriki who described the Gummi-led faction, which sits outside the chambers, as ‘illegal’ and ‘unrecognised.’ and its actions as null and void, maintaining that it is the state’s only House of Assembly.
“Meanwhile, in the last five months alone, at least 41 persons have been reportedly kiled, and over 185 others abducted, and the state is under siege by bandits.
“Besides, gun-wielding bandits extort the fear-gripped, helpless residents of various communities in the state of hefty sums of money in exchange for their lives, amid death threats and threats of other unspeakable horrors.
“In view of the above, to prevent a further degeneration of the crisis to a more regrettable level, and prevent the state from sliding into further chaos, we hereby call for a state of emergency in Zamfara State to enable the restoration of normalcy.”
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