By Mercy Gadia Adi
The Chairman, House Committee on Sports and member representing Gusau/Tsafe Federal Constituency of Zamfara State, Hon. Kabiru Ahmadu Mai Palace, has dismissed ongoing peace negotiations with bandits as “a temporary smokescreen,” insisting that only decisive military action, armed self-defence and functional state policing can halt Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, the lawmaker warned that criminal groups have continued to expand their influence across the country because government responses remain inadequate. He said the recent attack on his constituency where bandits allegedly imposed a ₦100 million levy, kidnapped 120 residents and killed 12 others was evidence that the state had lost control of rural security.
Mai Palace, who recently raised a matter of urgent public importance on the floor of the House, said the so-called peace deals embolden bandits instead of disarming them.
“I was vehemently against the peace deal. Bandits attend meetings with their weapons, dictate terms, brag and return to the bush untouched. Nobody disarms them. What kind of peace deal is that?” he said.
He insisted that the country must either “deploy its full might” against the criminals or “seek help externally” from any nation willing to assist.
“If we cannot secure the country, then we must seek help anywhere, the U.S., Egypt, anywhere. People cannot continue dying daily while we pretend,” he said.
The lawmaker renewed his call for the Federal Government to permit Nigerians to legally bear arms for self-defence, arguing that current security deployments can no longer protect rural communities.
According to him, community-based security structures and state policing remain the most effective solutions because they rely on locals who understand the terrain.
“A police officer recruited from Enugu cannot understand the bush paths of Zamfara. But a son of the soil knows every corner. Bandits will run when they know you know their homes, their routes,” he stated.
Citing the impact of community protection guards (CPGs) operating in parts of Zamfara, he said localised security architectures have proven more effective than federal deployments.
Commenting on President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive withdrawing police personnel from VIP escorts, Mai Palace described it as “a perfect decision,” insisting that elite protection must not take precedence over citizens’ safety.
“Why should VIPs be protected while citizens are vulnerable? Secure the country, and everyone including leaders becomes secure,” he said.
The lawmaker blamed the continuing spread of violence on what he called poor governance and weak leadership resolve, warning that unless political leaders prioritise national security, the situation will deteriorate further.
“Every region now has its own insecurity challenge. We are not doing enough as leaders. If we were, the situation would not be this bad,” he said.
Mai Palace’s comments come amid renewed debate over Nigeria’s security architecture and calls for constitutional amendments to allow state police.