Banditry: Dauda Lawal and The Doctrine of Res Ipsa Loquitur

By Ali Mohammed

The latest exposes surrounding Governor Dauda Lawal’s purported complicity in financing banditry in Zamfara State have sparked widespread astonishment and demands for clarity. Presently, Zamfara State is grappling with an unprecedented surge in banditry and insurgency, with communities being increasingly besieged, and Governor Lawal’s actions and decisions have come under intense scrutiny.

The governor’s alleged entanglement in funding banditry, ostensibly to perpetuate his interests in illicit mining operations, raises fundamental questions about governance, ethical standards, and accountability. Governor Lawal, who initially vowed to adopt a hardline stance against bandits, appears to have reneged on his promise by engaging in a contentious scheme involving substantial financial transactions with bandit leaders.

Recent revelations indicate that Governor Lawal has allegedly allocated over N1.3 billion to bandits and media propagandists, a move that starkly contradicts his earlier avowed commitment to combating terrorism and criminality.

The list of recipients and the substantial amounts they received has shamefully become public knowledge, further exacerbating concerns about Governor Lawal’s credibility and commitment to the welfare of Zamfara State citizens.

The leaked documents, bearing the requisite signatures for authentication, have exposed startling financial transactions to various individuals and entities, including:

Notoriously infamous bandit kingpins, who received substantial sums:

• Kachalla Dogo Gide (N200 million), Bello Turji (N200 million), Ado Alero (N200 million), Kachalla Halilu Sububu (N150 million), Gwaska Dan Karami (N150 million)

Additionally, significant payments were made to media promoters, ostensibly for propaganda purposes:

• Sahara Reporters (N100 million), Jackson Ude (N158 million), Bashir Hadejia (N100 million), Shuaibu Mungadi (N50 million), Tijjani Lamaran (N50 million), Danbilki Kwamanda (N20 million)

These startling revelations have sparked profound apprehensions regarding the misappropriation of public funds and potential collusion in perpetuating insecurity, thereby fueling widespread despondency among citizens.

The recipients of these payments are notorious individuals who have openly avowed to destabilize Nigeria, reveling in the chaos and destruction they sow. Their actions have led to the senseless slaughter of countless innocent Nigerians, leaving trails of devastation and shattered dreams. The very fact that public funds have been allocated to these malevolent actors has crippled the nation’s collective aspirations, inflicting irreparable damage on the psyche of the citizenry.

These individuals embody the quintessence of economic sabotage, perpetuating an era of economic woe characterized by plunder, exploitation, and unbridled violence. The alleged payments to infamous bandit kingpins, notably Kachalla Dogo Gide and Bello Turji, as well as various media personalities, are deeply disturbing and raise fundamental questions about governance and accountability.

Reports suggest that these transactions are aimed to secure access to Zamfara State’s lucrative gold deposits, which have become a catalyst for violence and exploitation. Most troubling is the temporal correlation between these payments and the surge in attacks on communities rich in gold deposits, implying a causal link between financial transactions and escalated violence.

The principle of res ipsa loquitur, which translates to “the thing speaks for itself,” can be instrumental in assessing the situation at hand. This legal doctrine implies that the evidence of wrongdoing is so apparent that it speaks for itself, without needing extensive additional proof. In the case of Governor Lawal, several factors invoke this doctrine:

Nature of the Payments: The direct allocation of funds to bandit leaders, purportedly for their cooperation and continued operations, presents a clear and alarming picture. Such payments suggest an implicit acknowledgment of their influence and power, and an unsettling endorsement of their activities. The funds transferred to these terrorists were done solely at the discretion of Governor Lawal. These mode of transactions suggest a deliberate attempt to conceal the true intentions behind these payments.

Increase in Attacks: The correlation between the payments made to bandits and the uptick in violent attacks on communities, particularly those with gold deposits, reinforces the suspicion that these funds may have incentivized further violence. The timing of these attacks in the aftermath of the financial transactions amplifies the notion that the payments had a direct impact on the escalation of violence.

Lack of Transparency and Oversight: The funds were reportedly transferred without the involvement of the Zamfara State House of Assembly or any formal approval processes, highlighting a glaring lack of oversight and accountability. There is nowhere in the approval that states that this criminal enterprise was undertaken with neighbouring states or the federal government. The absence of procedural transparency further compounds the suspicion of illicit motives behind these transactions.

Media Transactions: The allocation of significant amounts to media figures and organizations, such as Sahara Reporters and Jackson Ude, raises questions about the intent behind these payments. The possible use of media platforms to propagate bandit-friendly narratives or deflect attention from the governor’s actions could be viewed as a strategic move to manipulate public perception and obscure the truth.

The lingering inquiry that demands attention is: Does Governor Dauda Lawal harbor complicity in the scourge of banditry? A meticulous examination of the available evidence appears to indicate a disturbing nexus between Lawal and notorious bandit leaders, coupled with the clandestine role of his media aides in disseminating terrorist propaganda, specifically targeting opposition party leaders and artfully shifting blame onto preceding administrations.

The recent document exposing allocations from the state security Trust Fund account to bandit leaders serves as a damning addition to the mounting body of evidence.

Cumulatively, these incriminating circumstances constitute prima facie evidence implicating Governor Lawal in the sponsorship of banditry, warranting rigorous scrutiny and accountability. Governor Dauda Lawal’s deafening silence in the face of these grave allegations is profoundly troubling, fostering an atmosphere of suspicion and skepticism.

The glaring absence of a clear, convincing explanation or defense from the governor’s office only serves to intensify the perception of culpability, eroding public trust and confidence in his administration. In a democratic polity, such silence can be construed as an implicit acknowledgment of guilt or, at the very least, an unwillingness to confront the grave concerns and serious allegations raised by these revelations.

Considering the far-reaching consequences of these actions on the security and stability of Zamfara State and, by extension, Nigeria, a comprehensive and impartial investigation into Governor Lawal’s dealings is imperative. The available evidence unequivocally indicates a necessity for intensified scrutiny and accountability, as the governor’s alleged actions, if substantiated, constitute a egregious breach of public trust and a grave dereliction of duty in addressing the pervasive banditry crisis.

The allegations leveled against Governor Dauda Lawal, particularly the assertion that he disbursed substantial sums to notorious bandit leaders and media personalities, demand rigorous and unflinching investigation. Governor Lawal’s actions, as alleged, provide a disturbing framework for understanding the gravity of the situation, predicated on verifiable facts and the alarming correlation between the payments and the ensuing escalation of violence.

The severity of these allegations necessitates an exhaustive probe, unhindered by political considerations or institutional obstacles, to unearth the truth and ensure accountability. Self-evidently, the facts speak for themselves, and no prophetic insight is required to discern Governor Lawal’s complicity in perpetuating insecurity.

The overwhelming evidence implicating Governor Dauda Lawal in the financing of banditry in Zamfara State is nothing short of staggering. His conspicuous silence and lack of transparency only serve to exacerbate suspicions, further solidifying the perception of complicity.

As the doctrine of res ipsa loquitor aptly suggests, the circumstances surrounding Governor Lawal’s actions speak for themselves, undeniably pointing to culpability, and right now, the time for accountability and consequences has arrived. To move forward, it would be a prudent step if anti-graft agencies swiftly investigated and verified the transactions outlined in the document, froze all accounts linked to the listed beneficiaries, and prosecuted the recipients for terrorism financing.

As this situation continues to unfold, it is important that Mr President issues an Executive Order prioritizing transparency and accountability. This order should facilitate the swift identification and prosecution of all individuals connected to insecurity in Zamfara State and the North-West, eradicating terrorism from the region. Moreover, those responsible for perpetuating violence and undermining state integrity must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

Governor Dauda Lawal’s thunderous silence is increasingly intolerable, and the people of Zamfara State, indeed all Nigerians, deserve straightforward and honest explanations. It Is crucial that he provides a credible and convincing account, far surpassing the simplistic and unsubstantiated childish narratives that have thus far been offered by his aides.

In light of the doctrine of res ipsa loquitor, which dictates that the circumstances themselves establish culpability, it is reasonable to conclude that Governor Lawal, by virtue of his position as the chief executive of Zamfara State, possesses critical information regarding the masterminds behind the banditry plaguing the North-West.

In essence, Governor Lawal’s proximity to the crisis and his constitutional responsibility to ensure public safety obligate him to disclose the truth, furnishing the public with a comprehensive understanding of the forces driving this insecurity. Nigerians are waiting to hear from him.

Mohammed is a security expert based in Gusau.