A federal lawmaker has made disturbing revelations about the escalating brutality of bandits in Zamfara State, describing horrific incidents including newborn twins being fed to dogs by their captors.

Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji, representing Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, disclosed these atrocities while speaking to journalists on Wednesday.

According to the lawmaker, a pregnant woman who had been kidnapped in Zamfara gave birth to twins while in captivity. In an act of extreme cruelty, the bandits threw the newborns to dogs, which then devoured them.

"She was kidnapped while she was heavily pregnant," Jaji stated. "After she gave birth, the bandits threw the twin babies to dogs, and the animals devoured them. That is where we are now. That is the level of inhumanity we are facing."

The lawmaker also narrated another harrowing incident involving a young boy with epilepsy. When the boy suffered a seizure, bandits demanded he be brought forward for execution. His desperate father, attempting to save the rest of the family, begged his son to surrender. The boy complied and was subsequently shot dead.

Governance Collapse in Zamfara

Jaji expressed profound concern over what he described as a "total collapse of governance" in many parts of Zamfara State. He highlighted the severe economic impact on residents who can no longer access their farms and the plight of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who lack recognition from both federal and state governments.

"We are facing a total collapse of governance in many parts of the state. Our people can't access their farms. Their economy has collapsed. We have many internally displaced persons who are not even recognised by the federal or state governments," he lamented.

The representative recalled that during the 2023 general elections, as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's North West campaign team, he had promised voters that security would be prioritized. "Now, we are failing those who believed in us," he admitted.

"Zamfara, my state, used to be the most peaceful in Nigeria. Today, we are among the most ravaged. The constitution guarantees the protection of life and property, but that promise is not being kept," Jaji added.

Frustrated Efforts to Engage Authorities

Despite attempts to engage federal authorities, including the Minister of Defence, Jaji expressed frustration that little progress has been made to address the security crisis.

When questioned about the possibility of arming residents for self-defense, the lawmaker responded cautiously. "We are legislators, not vigilantes," he said. "We cannot encourage people to take up arms illegally. But the truth is, the people feel abandoned."

These revelations come amid increasing reports of mass abductions, killings, and displacement across Zamfara and other northern Nigerian states, highlighting the deteriorating security situation that continues to plague the region despite government assurances of improved safety measures.