By Ismaeel Aleem
The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Forum has criticised governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for convening a political meeting in the state on Saturday, 23 August, only days after a series of violent attacks left dozens dead, injured, or kidnapped.
The forum branded the gathering as “insensitive” and a flagrant disregard for the victims of Zamfara’s worsening security crisis.
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In a statement issued on Monday, 25 August, the group’s publicity secretary, Muhammed Ibrahim, expressed outrage at the timing and optics of the PDP governors’ visit.
He drew attention to the latest wave of attacks by armed groups across several Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state, where reports confirmed that 144 people were abducted, 24 killed, and 16 others wounded.
The APC Youth Forum accused the PDP governors of placing partisan politics above the lives of ordinary citizens.
“Rather than rally round their embattled colleague to help stem the tide of killings, they chose to stage a political rally at the very scene of mass murder, trampling on the memory of the victims,” the statement declared.
The group also condemned the conduct of the governors during the event, describing photographs of them in “full ceremonial attire, smiling for the cameras” as grossly inappropriate in a community still grieving and traumatised.
According to the forum, the episode underscored the governors’ lack of empathy and responsible leadership at a time when Zamfara is battling one of its gravest security challenges.
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The state has long been a hotspot of banditry, with frequent raids on villages resulting in mass killings, abductions, and widespread terror among residents.
The APC Youth Forum urged political leaders to put the welfare and security of citizens above partisan considerations, stressing the need for unity and urgent action to tackle the spiralling violence.
