A prominent Islamic organization in Zamfara State has issued a scathing condemnation of Governor Dauda Lawal's second-year anniversary celebrations, describing the event as an affront to the state's Islamic values and traditions.

The Zamfara Ulama Defence Forum (ZUDF), in a statement released to journalists in Gusau on Friday, expressed outrage over what it termed "an orchestrated reintroduction of vices" into a state known for its commitment to Islamic law.

According to the group, the anniversary celebration featured musical performances with scantily clad female dancers and open consumption of alcoholic beverages—practices considered unacceptable under the Sharia legal system that Zamfara pioneered in Nigeria.

Sheikh Bashir Mu'azu Marafa, president of ZUDF, described the scenes at the celebration as "unthinkable" in a state that has long positioned itself as a model for Islamic governance.

"It is both unfortunate and shameful that on the second-term anniversary of a sitting governor in a core Islamic state like Zamfara, alcohol was served, and women of questionable character were paraded on public stages in revealing clothes," the statement read.

The respected Islamic scholar emphasized that the presence of female dancers in body-fitted attire and short skirts would spark outrage in any conservative society, particularly in Zamfara where modesty is considered a fundamental value.

"Zamfara is not Las Vegas. It is a land of honour, a land of religious discipline. For these kinds of immoral scenes to be playing out in broad daylight under the watch of our leaders is a disgrace," Sheikh Marafa stated.

The organization warned that such incidents could signal a dangerous shift that undermines decades of work by Islamic clerics and scholars to preserve values of modesty and morality in the state.

"What message are we sending to our children and the next generation when those at the top are encouraging moral decay in the name of celebration? If this is what the next four years hold, then Zamfara is on a fast path to losing its identity," the statement added.

ZUDF called on Islamic clerics across Zamfara to speak out against what it described as "the creeping secularisation of Zamfara under Governor Lawal's administration," warning that silence from religious leaders would amount to complicity.

The forum urged Governor Lawal to issue a public apology for what it termed an "embarrassment" and demanded a commitment to restoring moral standards at public events. It also called on the state house of assembly, traditional institutions, and community organizations to hold the governor accountable.

The group expressed appreciation to members of the public, particularly young people, who raised concerns on social media about the nature of the celebrations.

"The Zamfara Ulama Defence Forum remains committed to protecting the moral integrity of our communities. We will continue to hold those in authority to account, and we will not stop speaking out against actions that threaten our values and identity as a people," the statement concluded.