A northern civil society group, the Northern Intelligentsia Network (NIN), has threatened to drag Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague over what it described as his “complicity” and “inaction” in the face of worsening banditry and mass killings in the state.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Saturday, the group accused the governor of failing to take decisive action despite publicly admitting that he knows the locations of bandit hideouts. The group claimed that such inaction amounts to aiding and abetting crimes against humanity.
“At a time when communities are being ravaged, withholding such critical intelligence is not just negligence — it is complicity,” said Dr. Aminu Shehu, President of the group.
Zamfara State has been one of the hardest-hit areas in Nigeria’s North-West, with banditry, kidnappings, rapes, and mass killings becoming a regular occurrence in recent years. Villages in local government areas like Maradun, Anka, Shinkafi, and Tsafe have suffered repeated attacks, forcing thousands to flee their homes.
While the state government has often blamed poor federal support and limited control over security agencies, the Northern Intelligentsia Network believes Governor Lawal has failed in his constitutional and moral duty to protect the people.
“It is unacceptable for a sitting governor to confess knowledge of bandits’ hideouts while refusing to act or share intelligence. Such silence has only emboldened perpetrators and deepened the suffering of Zamfara residents,” the group said.
The group announced that it is currently assembling a team of Nigerian and international lawyers to file a formal petition at the ICC. It said the petition would include evidence from humanitarian reports, testimonies from victims, and public statements made by Governor Lawal.
“Under Article 7 of the Rome Statute, which Nigeria is a signatory to, systematic attacks on civilians amount to crimes against humanity. The governor’s refusal to act falls under the principle of command responsibility,” Dr. Shehu explained.
The group added that the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law compel state actors to take all feasible measures to protect civilians during armed conflict — a duty it claims Governor Lawal has failed to uphold.
The Northern Intelligentsia Network also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene in the crisis before it escalates beyond control.
“Zamfara is fast becoming a killing field. If urgent steps are not taken, this violence will spread across the entire North-West,” the group warned.
It pointed out that other states battling similar security threats have adopted more proactive approaches — such as empowering local vigilante groups, increasing intelligence-sharing, and working closely with federal security agencies.
“In Zamfara, however, the governor has chosen denial, blame-shifting, and silence,” the group stated.
The group concluded its statement with a strong warning that international accountability is now inevitable if Nigerian authorities continue to look the other way.
“When leaders become part of the problem, when they normalise bloodshed through inaction, they must answer before international tribunals,” said Dr. Shehu.
It also urged civil society organisations, religious leaders, and the international community to speak up in defence of the thousands of civilians who continue to suffer in silence across Zamfara State.
“We cannot remain silent in the face of this slow genocide. The victims deserve justice, and the world must act now.”
So far, the Zamfara State Government has not issued any official response to the accusations or the threatened legal action.
The International Criminal Court (ICC), based in The Hague, has jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, especially when local justice systems are unable or unwilling to act. If the group follows through on its threat, this could become the first major international legal case involving a sitting Nigerian governor over internal security failures.
