Manny Ita –
The governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal has reiterated his resolve to ensure the state remains secure and the citizens safe by commissioning 25 armoured personnel carriers and surveillance drones to support military and security operations against banditry and violent crime across the state and the wider North-West region.
The equipment was handed over during a ceremony in Gusau as part of the state government’s logistics support programme for frontline security forces engaged in counter-insurgency and internal security duties. The governor said the assets are intended to enhance troop protection during high-risk missions and strengthen rapid response capabilities in remote communities while improving battlefield surveillance.
“We have provided over 600 specialised motorcycles, 150 Hilux vehicles, and 20 Buffalo vehicles to our security forces. These 25 highly sophisticated APCs being commissioned today are therefore part of a broader reform to improve response to security threats. The APC’s significantly improves troop protection during deployments into high-risk areas. They reduce vulnerability during patrols, support convoy security along major routes, and strengthen rapid response capability when distress calls arise from remote communities,” Lawal said.
He noted that persistent insecurity had disrupted agricultural activities, trade, and public confidence in many parts of the state, adding that his administration’s “Rescue Mission” agenda seeks to replace ad-hoc interventions with structured reforms. According to him, these include the establishment of a state security trust fund and the deployment of Community Protection Guards to enhance grassroots intelligence gathering.
The governor also emphasised the role of technology in modern security operations, stating that the newly acquired drones would provide aerial reconnaissance, improve situational awareness, and facilitate coordination between field units and command centres. “Real-time information strengthens decision-making and reduces operational blind spots,” he said.
Lawal acknowledged federal support to the security sector under Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that recent national budgets allocated more than three trillion naira to defence, which he said complements subnational stabilisation efforts.
He urged military commanders and personnel to ensure disciplined maintenance and intelligence-driven deployment of the equipment, telling them that “Enhancing your safety enhances the safety of our communities.”
Addressing residents, the governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to restoring lasting peace across all local government areas through preventive operations, strengthened patrol systems in rural corridors, inter-state intelligence cooperation, and prudent management of security spending. “We will sustain preventive measures, strengthen patrol architecture in rural corridors, deepen inter-state intelligence collaboration across the North-West, and maintain fiscal prudence in security expenditure. Stabilisation will continue through structured planning, lawful enforcement, and institutional reform,” he said.
He linked the security investments to economic recovery, arguing that improved safety in rural areas is essential for farming activities, market operations, and food security.
The event was attended by the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, who formally commissioned the assets for operational deployment, as the state government reiterated its commitment to sustained collaboration with federal authorities and security agencies until stability is fully restored.
