Zamfara: Turning The Terror Tide Into A Lucrative Investment Climate

I listened to the former governor, Abdul’aziz Yari, at the just-concluded Blueprint Newspapers Impact Series and Awards event, confess that, aside from Borno state, no state in the country has suffered the brunt of terrorism as much as Zamfara state. Recent efforts by Operation Fansan Yamma alongside the NAF airstrikes have made Zamfara a hotbed for terrorists, as the operations have been yielding great results, with a lot of the terrorists being annihilated, while a lot of them are running across the border in droves, fleeing the state. A two-day operation in Gumi has seen the death of 300 terrorists.

13 kidnapped victims were also rescued in Anka, and another 33 at the Magazu area of Tsafe local government. NAF also successfully bombed Dogo-Gide’s hideout at Kumbashi village. In recent times, our security forces have stepped up their operations in the Northwest terrorism corridor, and the results have been quite impressive. Zamfara state governor has had to commend the security agencies for their courageous execution of the war, decimating terrorist activities in Zamfara state. Ground offensives at Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji, along with precision airstrikes at Tumfa village in Shinkafi local govt. have successfully eliminated three gang leaders and led to the recovery of machine guns, ammunition, and motorcycles. Gov. Lawal, in his commendation message, reiterated that his government has a no-negotiation stance with bandits and emphasised that a completely kinetic approach was necessary to defeat terrorism. He applauded the military strikes as quite timely.

With the successes of the onslaught against terror, Zamfara State has just launched a $200 million Lithium Mining and Processing Plant in a bid to lead Nigeria’s mining revolution. Gov. Dauda Lawal, at the event, stated his govt’s intention to turn Zamfara into a processing hub, not just an address for the extraction of mineral resources. He stated that minerals such as Lithium are central to the future of renewable energy, electric vehicles and other modern technological products, and therefore, there is a need for Zamfara state to key into the entire value chain, and not stop at extraction.

The Lithium processing plant is a huge milestone in that direction. With such a development, it is evident that Zamfara is turning the tide of terror into a climate for investment. The development of the plant proves that the state govt is intent on developing the mining sector, and keying into the entire mining value chain. The state government’s reforms are producing an enabling environment for lawful mining activities, attracting investors, and strengthening partnerships with the federal government. This is to ensure that mining activities in Zamfara contribute meaningfully to the country’s economic growth and development. The reforms include strengthening security collaboration, improving infrastructure, and other policies that promote sustainable development.

These reforms are not centred on mining alone, as Zamfara used to be one of Nigeria’s largest cotton producers, with no fewer than 15 ginneries in the state. To revive the cotton industry, among other measures, the state government is partnering with the FG to strengthen security. The state has adequately matched the FG’s efforts by creating and empowering Vigilante groups, who have worked hand in hand with the Nigerian army’s Operation Fan-San-Yamma. Zamfara state has bought no less than 25 armoured personnel carriers, including specialised tactical and armoured Toyota Buffalo trucks. The state government also purchased over 600 state-of-the-art drones for surveillance. This has improved the troops’ tactical mobility, real-time intelligence gathering, and the ability to launch robust offensives on bandit enclaves. There is little wonder why recent operations in Zamfara have been timely and precise.

Zamfara’s efforts in turning the tide have received commendations from the Federal Government, as relayed by the Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, during a courtesy visit to Gusau, Zamfara state. Dr Jumoke said that there is strong investor interest and confidence in Zamfara state’s solid minerals sector. She said that there is growing interest from local and foreign investors who want to tap into the state’s minerals to develop its mining potential and contribute to the nation’s GDP. This means that in no time, Zamfara will be making more headlines for investments, production, and employment for its teeming youth population. Zamfara, with mining plants springing up, could overtake oil-producing states in its contribution to federal revenues, as well as revenues due to the state through VAT, royalties, licenses and permits, along with other FAAC allocations due to mineral-producing states. A 200-million-dollar lithium processing plant, not just mining, is indeed great news for Zamfara state.