By Lawrence Zongo
The Centre for Human Rights and Social Advancement (CEFSAN) has condemned the killing of at least 23 farmers in Zamfara State, accusing the Tinubu administration of failing to protect lives and property.
The rights organisation made the accusation in a press statement issued on Friday, July 24, 2026, following Tuesday’s deadly attack on Sauna Ruwan Gora Ward in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
According to CEFSAN, armed bandits stormed the farming community on July 21 and opened fire at close range on farmers working in their fields, killing at least 23 people, while several others reportedly sustained life-threatening injuries.
The organisation described the attack as another indication that existing security measures in Zamfara have failed to provide effective protection for vulnerable communities, particularly rural farmers who continue to face repeated attacks from armed criminal groups.
CEFSAN noted that previous military operations have not succeeded in ending the violence across the state, stressing that the latest massacre, which occurred about 16 kilometres from Talata Mafara town, demonstrates that no part of Zamfara can presently be regarded as safe.
The group expressed concern that despite repeated assurances by the Federal Government and sustained military deployments, violent attacks have continued not only in Zamfara but also in other states, including Katsina, Plateau, Benue, Niger and Kaduna.
It argued that the persistent killings reflect the urgent need for a more effective, intelligence-driven and coordinated national security strategy capable of protecting vulnerable communities and dismantling criminal networks.
CEFSAN further accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of failing in its constitutional responsibility to safeguard Nigerians, citing Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which provides that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.
The organisation also warned that the government’s response to the country’s worsening insecurity has created a public perception that political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections are receiving greater attention than the protection of citizens’ lives.
It maintained that Nigerians have become frustrated with repeated assurances and security operations that have failed to produce lasting peace, calling instead for decisive leadership, stronger intelligence gathering, improved inter-agency collaboration and greater accountability within the nation’s security architecture.
CEFSAN called on President Tinubu to immediately declare a national emergency on insecurity in Zamfara State and other severely affected parts of the country, urging the Federal Government to adopt urgent, transparent and measurable measures to secure vulnerable communities, protect farmlands and restore public confidence.
The organisation also urged security agencies to investigate the latest attack thoroughly, identify and sanction officers responsible for operational failures where necessary, and ensure that those behind the massacre are brought to justice.
It further called on the National Assembly to strengthen oversight of Nigeria’s security institutions, while urging civil society organisations, the media, religious and traditional leaders, as well as the international community, to pay closer attention to the worsening humanitarian and security crisis in Zamfara and other violence-affected states.
CEFSAN expressed solidarity with the families of those killed, the injured victims and the people of Zamfara State, insisting that the continued bloodshed must end and that the constitutional responsibility of protecting Nigerians should remain the government’s foremost priority.
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