Zamfara Killings: Concerned Nigerians Petition Trump, Seek Visa Ban On Gov Lawal
A coalition under the banner of the Concerned Nigerians for Human Security has petitioned United States President Donald Trump, calling for international attention and decisive action over the worsening security situation in Zamfara State and other parts of northern Nigeria.
In an open letter addressed to the U.S. President, the group described the killings and mass displacement in Zamfara as “a humanitarian tragedy that demands urgent global response.”
According to the coalition, thousands of Nigerians, including men, women, and children, have been killed, abducted, or forced to flee their homes as a result of ongoing attacks by armed groups.
“We write not just as citizens mourning the thousands whose lives have been brutally cut short across parts of northern Nigeria, but as people who recognize your important role as a global leader always ready to confront moral wrongs,” the letter read in part.
The group alleged that while billions of naira are allocated for security across states, the crisis in Zamfara continues to worsen, leading to the deaths of innocent citizens and the destruction of entire communities. It claimed that the situation reflects what it called “a total breakdown of leadership and accountability in the management of security resources.”
The coalition urged President Trump and the U.S. government to impose visa restrictions on certain political figures, including Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, to “apply international accountability pressure on political actors who trade human lives for political and financial gain.”
“Leadership is a moral duty, not a personal luxury,” the group said, adding that sanctions would “disrupt the comfort derived from foreign refuge and compel responsibility at home.”
The coalition further clarified that the violence in Zamfara should not be viewed through a religious lens, stressing that both Muslims and Christians have suffered devastating losses.
“These killings have no religious connection. They are the direct consequence of governance failure, gross negligence, and mismanagement of security resources,” it stated.
The letter also commended the efforts of President Bola Tinubu in deploying special forces and strengthening national security architecture but maintained that “no federal intervention can succeed where state leaders fail to act with urgency.”
It urged the Nigerian government to consider declaring a state of emergency in Zamfara to restore peace and rebuild devastated communities.
“We are appealing for moral intervention and international support to help end the cycle of killings and displacement in Zamfara and across northern Nigeria,” the petition added.
