Zamfara State has taken a decisive step in strengthening its fight against banditry and insecurity across the North-West as Governor Dauda Lawal officially unveiled 25 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) alongside advanced aerial surveillance drones. The new assets are being deployed to support military and security agencies operating within the state.
The commissioning ceremony, held in Gusau, reflects the administration’s commitment to equipping frontline forces with modern tools for protection and rapid response. Governor Lawal emphasized that the APCs and drones will enhance troop safety during high-risk missions, improve mobility in remote areas, and provide real-time aerial intelligence to guide tactical operations.
“We have provided over 600 specialised motorcycles, 150 Hilux vehicles, and 20 Buffalo vehicles to our security forces. These 25 highly sophisticated APCs being commissioned today are therefore part of a broader reform to improve response to security threats. The APC’s significantly improves troop protection during deployments into high-risk areas. They reduce vulnerability during patrols, support convoy security along major routes, and strengthen rapid response capability when distress calls arise from remote communities.” the Governor stated.
Governor Lawal explained that the security challenges of recent years had disrupted farming, limited trade, and undermined public confidence across the state. He noted that his administration’s “Rescue Mission” agenda has focused on moving from fragmented responses to structured reforms, including the establishment of a Zamfara State Security Trust Fund and the operationalisation of Community Protection Guards to improve grassroots intelligence.
The Governor specifically highlighted the importance of integrating modern technology into security operations. He noted that the newly acquired drones would expand aerial surveillance, improve situational awareness, and support better coordination between command centres and troops in the field.
“Real-time information strengthens decision-making and reduces operational blind spots,” he added.
Governor Lawal however acknowledged the critical role of the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that recent federal budgets have allocated over three trillion naira to defence, a commitment he said strengthens subnational stabilisation efforts.
He urged the military commanders and personnel receiving the equipment to ensure disciplined maintenance and intelligence-guided deployment. “Enhancing your safety enhances the safety of our communities,” he told the troops.
Governor Lawal also told the people of Zamfara that; his administration remains resolute in restoring enduring security and peace across every Local Government Area. “We will sustain preventive measures, strengthen patrol architecture in rural corridors, deepen inter-state intelligence collaboration across the North-West, and maintain fiscal prudence in security expenditure. Stabilisation will continue through structured planning, lawful enforcement, and institutional reform.”
The Governor also linked the security investment to economic recovery, stressing that stability in rural areas is essential for agricultural productivity, market activity, and food security.
The event was attended by the Honourable Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd.), who formally commissioned the assets for operational service. Governor Lawal reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to sustain preventive measures and inter-state security collaboration until lasting peace is restored across all Local Government Areas in Zamfara.
