A coalition of human rights advocates has urged President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Zamfara State, warning that the region is spiralling into lawlessness amid deepening insecurity and what it described as the near-total collapse of democratic governance.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Northern Citizens Alliance for Justice (NCAJ) said the crisis in Zamfara has reached a point where only federal intervention through a state of emergency similar to what is currently obtainable in Rivers State can halt further deterioration. The group accused state officials of complicity in criminal mining operations and alleged that the proceeds are being used to fund armed groups.

“What we are witnessing in Zamfara State is not governance. It is the organised abandonment of duty by those elected to serve,” said Kabiru Sani Bako, president of the NCAJ.

Bako alleged that the state is being held hostage by political actors benefiting from the chaos, rendering any genuine intervention ineffective unless power is taken from their hands. He noted that the absence of a functional House of Assembly and the suspension of lawmakers who criticised the insecurity has effectively silenced all democratic checks.

“Zamfara has no legally recognised House of Assembly. Ten lawmakers were suspended simply for speaking out. What exists now is a dictatorship of silence, and the victims are poor citizens who deserve better,” Bako said.

According to the group, in local government areas such as Zurmi, Shinkafi, Anka and Bukkuyum, residents live in constant fear, often forced to pay levies to bandits to farm, travel or carry out basic economic activities. Education, healthcare and trade have all been severely disrupted by the wave of violence.

“In these towns, women are abducted, children recruited by armed groups, and entire communities taxed by non-state actors. Meanwhile, the state government continues to trade blame and watch,” the statement added.

The group further alleged that credible intelligence links some state officials to illegal mining operations that directly fund arms acquisition by terror groups operating in the region.

“The same hands that should be protecting Zamfara are profiting from its destruction,” Bako said. “If this is not addressed immediately, Zamfara risks becoming a permanent base for terror cells.”

The NCAJ called on President Tinubu to act urgently by invoking constitutional powers to impose a state of emergency and appoint a neutral administrator to stabilise the state, rebuild its institutions, and restore democratic order.

“This is no longer about politics. It is a moral and constitutional imperative,” Bako said.

The group disclosed that it will submit a detailed dossier to the National Assembly and the National Security Adviser in the coming days to back its appeal for a state of emergency with documentary evidence.

An official of the Zamfara State government, in an interview with the Guardian, however described the coalition’s claims as misleading. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as he wasn’t authorised to speak, said the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal has made the state safer since it came on board in 2023.

Governor Lawal recently stated that his administration has taken steps to improve security in the state through increased patrols and strategic measures that mitigate threats, adding that his “administration is dedicated to ensuring the safety of lives and property by providing adequate logistics and support to security agencies to maintain peace and stability.”

President Tinubu recently declared a state of emergency in Rivers State; a move that has not been well received in many quarters, with some citing it as a breach of the Constitution.