A northern advocacy organisation has criticised the Zamfara State government over what it describes as a deteriorating security situation, following renewed attacks on roads and rural communities in the north-western state.

In a statement issued in Kaduna on Tuesday, the Northern Front for Peace and Accountability (NFPA) accused Governor Dauda Lawal of failing to provide effective leadership as violence linked to armed groups continues to affect parts of the state. The group cited recent incidents, including a suspected bomb explosion along the Yar’Tasha–Dansadau road in Maru Local Government Area, as evidence of what it called weak security coordination.

According to the NFPA, the blast, which targeted travellers on a major route, has heightened fear among residents and commuters. While official casualty figures have yet to be confirmed, the group said several people were feared dead, adding that the attack reflects a broader pattern of insecurity across highways and farming communities in Zamfara State.

Speaking on behalf of the organisation, its president, Musa Abdullahi Kaura, said armed groups now operate with increasing confidence, leaving residents exposed to killings, abductions and displacement. He argued that insecurity in the state has persisted despite repeated assurances from authorities.

“The people of Zamfara continue to live with fear,” Kaura said. “Communities are attacked, roads are unsafe, and many families have abandoned their farms. At a time like this, citizens expect visible leadership and decisive action.”

The organisation warned that continued insecurity could further weaken public trust in state institutions and allow armed groups to entrench themselves more deeply across rural areas. It called for an emergency security summit bringing together traditional rulers, community leaders, security agencies and representatives of the federal government to develop a coordinated response.

NFPA also urged the federal authorities to pay closer attention to developments in Zamfara, warning that the state risked becoming a long-term base for armed groups if decisive action was not taken.

The Guardian reached out to the Zamfara State government but no response was received as of the time of posting this report.