President Bola Tinubu has been urged to establish a judicial commission of inquiry into allegations linking Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal to terrorist activities.
The call came from the Zamfara Youth Vanguard for Peace (ZYVP) in a letter addressed to the President and other top officials, including the National Security Adviser and the Attorney General of the Federation.
The ZYVP claimed that Governor Lawal paid N1.378 billion to bandits under the guise of peacebuilding efforts but instead allegedly fuelled further violence.
Comrade Bello Yakubu, president of ZYVP, voiced these concerns, accusing the governor of ties to convicted terrorist Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab.
“Governor Lawal paid N1.378 billion to bandits as of July 2, 2024, under the pretext of peacebuilding.
However, instead of reducing terrorism, there has been an upsurge in violent activities,” Yakubu noted.
The group also alleged that Lawal had cracked down on whistleblowers who exposed these payments.
“Whistleblowers are being held incommunicado on Governor Lawal’s orders and falsely charged with forgery to divert attention,” Yakubu added.
The youth group further expressed concerns over Lawal’s recent visit to the US, linking it to his alleged terrorism ties.
They appealed to Tinubu to launch an inquiry into Lawal’s activities to safeguard the nation’s security.
“A judicial inquiry is crucial to exposing his role in terrorism and preventing further attacks,” Yakubu urged.
