Banditry Crisis: Zamfara Gov Lawal Risks ICC Petition

A northern advocacy organisation, the Northern Intelligentsia Network, has threatened to drag Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, accusing him of failing to stem the wave of killings, kidnappings, and destruction being perpetrated by bandits in the state.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the group’s president, Dr. Aminu Shehu, alleged that Governor Lawal’s inaction amounted to complicity, insisting that his failure to act emboldened perpetrators and worsened the humanitarian crisis. The group also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene, warning that Zamfara’s insecurity threatens the stability of the wider northern region.

“Governor Dauda Lawal has openly acknowledged knowing the hideouts of these bandits, yet he refuses to provide such intelligence to security agencies, hiding behind claims of not controlling the police. With communities under siege, withholding such information is not mere negligence—it is complicity,” the statement read.

The group maintained that the governor’s approach violates both his constitutional duty to safeguard citizens and Nigeria’s obligations under international humanitarian law. Citing reports from Maradun, Anka, Shinkafi, and Tsafe LGAs, it pointed to documented cases of women being raped, children mutilated, and entire villages burned.

“These are systematic assaults on vulnerable populations, not isolated incidents. Article 7 of the Rome Statute clearly establishes that leaders who permit or ignore sustained attacks on civilians share responsibility for crimes against humanity,” Shehu added.

According to the group, Governor Lawal’s public admissions signal a dereliction of duty. It argued that his refusal to share intelligence has strengthened the hands of criminals while exposing residents to relentless violence.

The statement further stressed that the situation undermines the Geneva Conventions, which compel authorities to take feasible measures to protect civilians during armed conflicts. “While other states have empowered local vigilantes and improved intelligence-sharing, Zamfara’s leadership has embraced denial, excuses, and silence,” it alleged.

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The Northern Intelligentsia Network disclosed that it is already working with Nigerian and international lawyers to assemble a petition before the ICC. The petition will include testimonies from victims, reports from humanitarian groups, and evidence of the governor’s alleged refusal to act.

“Under the doctrine of command responsibility in the Rome Statute, leaders who enable or fail to prevent atrocities must face justice,” the group declared.

It warned that international accountability is now unavoidable: “When leaders normalise bloodshed through inaction, they must answer before tribunals. Zamfara is turning into a killing field, and unless urgent measures are taken, the violence will engulf the entire North-West.”

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The statement concluded with a call on civil society groups, religious leaders, and the international community to stand with victims. “We cannot remain silent in the face of this slow-motion genocide. International law is clear: leaders who tolerate atrocities must be held accountable,” it said.