The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress in Zamfara State, Hon. Bilyaminu Yusuf Shinkafi, has pledged to prioritise security and tackle kidnapping if elected, saying residents must be able to live, farm and send their children to school without fear.
Shinkafi made the pledge at a press conference where he commended troops of Operation Fansan Yamma, Sector 2, for rescuing four kidnap victims in the state.
He described the rescue as a source of hope for families affected by insecurity and urged security personnel to sustain the fight against criminal groups.
“On behalf of the ADC and the people of Zamfara, I say thank you, and I urge them not to relent,” he said.
The ADC candidate called on governments at all levels to place the protection of lives and property above political campaigns and the struggle for power.
“Elections come and go, but a life lost can never be replaced,” he said.
Shinkafi warned that insecurity could undermine governance, agriculture, education and economic activities if residents continued to live under the threat of attacks and abductions.
“If all our people are kidnapped, killed or driven out of their homes, who then will we govern?” he asked.
He said the security challenge in Zamfara should be treated as a matter of public safety rather than a partisan political issue.
The candidate pledged that, if elected, his administration would make security its foremost priority and work within the law to tackle kidnapping and other threats to residents.
He promised to strengthen collaboration with the military, police, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and community-based security structures.
According to him, security agencies would receive the cooperation, intelligence support and welfare needed to improve their operations.
Shinkafi also promised to create conditions that would enable children to return to school, particularly in communities where insecurity had disrupted education.
He said restoring safety would also allow farmers to return to their farmlands, boost agricultural production and revive economic activities across the state.
“Zamfara is blessed with fertile land. When our people are safe, agriculture will thrive and our economy will recover,” he said.
The ADC candidate urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups, women’s organisations and other residents to support security agencies by providing credible information that could help prevent attacks and save lives.
He said tackling insecurity required collective responsibility and sustained cooperation between communities and the authorities.
Shinkafi also appealed to political parties and fellow governorship candidates to conduct peaceful campaigns and avoid allowing political ambitions to overshadow the safety of residents.
He expressed sympathy with families who had lost loved ones to violence and those still waiting for the return of kidnapped relatives.
“To the families who have lost loved ones, and to those still waiting for their relatives to return, you are not forgotten,” he said.
He added that a government under his leadership would work to prevent families from enduring similar suffering.
The candidate expressed optimism that Zamfara could regain peace, with children returning to classrooms, farmers resuming cultivation and markets operating without fear.
“Zamfara State can be safe again,” he said, adding that achieving the goal would require courage, commitment and sincerity of purpose.
He reiterated his appreciation to the troops for rescuing the four victims and called for sustained efforts to protect residents across the state.
