Zamfara NDC Condemns IED Planting on Gurusu-Gwashi Road

The Zamfara State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress has condemned the reported planting of an improvised explosive device by suspected bandits along the Gurusu-Gwashi Road in Bukkuyum Local Government Area, describing the incident as a dangerous escalation of the security crisis gripping the state.

In a statement issued by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Alkasimu Mustapha Kayatawa, the NDC warned that the introduction of explosive devices on public roads has added a lethal new dimension to the insecurity that has long plagued the region. The party said the development places motorists, commuters, farmers, Traders and security personnel at grave risk, effectively turning vital transport corridors into potential minefields.

The statement drew a sharp comparison between the security resources deployed for political contests and those allocated to protect civilians in Zamfara. The NDC questioned why approximately 30 Commissioners of Police and thousands of security personnel could be mobilised for the recent Osun State governorship election while communities in Zamfara continue to face daily threats with comparatively limited protection.

“Elections are important to democracy, but the protection of human life is the first responsibility of government,” the party said. “The people of Zamfara should not be made to feel that securing ballot boxes attracts greater national urgency than securing their lives, homes, farms and highways.”

The NDC called for an immediate review of security strategy in Bukkuyum and other vulnerable areas. Specific demands included enhanced intelligence gathering, improved explosive-ordnance disposal capabilities, sustained patrols and a stronger, permanent security presence along major roads and in at-risk communities.

The party urged the Federal Government and security agencies to reinforce operations across Bukkuyum, secure the Gurusu-Gwashi corridor and other critical routes, and prevent criminal groups from normalising the use of explosives against civilians. It also called on the Zamfara State Government to deepen collaboration with federal security bodies and strengthen community-based intelligence networks to ensure affected populations receive adequate protection.

“Zamfara has buried too many innocent citizens. Too many families have paid ransoms. Too many communities have been displaced. Our roads must not now become minefields,” the statement read.

The NDC insisted that residents of the state deserve the same level of urgency, manpower and national attention that are routinely deployed to safeguard electoral processes elsewhere in the country. As the threat evolves, the party warned that failure to adapt security tactics could cement a new and deadlier phase of violence in the North-West.