Gusau, the capital of Zamfara state, is a rural town that would survive well even without an airport. This is because the state, Zamfara, is arguably one of the most backward in the country, and an airport would be an unnecessary luxury the state would do very well without, at least for the time being. And an illegal one certainly portends bad omen for an underdeveloped state, for that matter.

Many a video clip, show a small plane taking off, probably with a load of illegally mined mineral recourses, from a dirt road at the ‘cite’ of the Zamfara illegal airport.

The scenario may easily be believed, given that, the Zamfara state government recently made some hasty transfers in the office of the Accountant General of the state. This followed the vehement denial of the allegation made by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, that the state government is ‘funding’ some bandits, an online media company and a very ‘talkative’ journalist. Both the allegations of the funding and the transfers were seen on a memo of the official letter headed paper of the government of Zamfara state, apparently released by a whistleblower.

The transfers in the office of the Accountant General of the state led to the opposition APC insisting that it “is vindicated” on the claims it made.

In a state where there are more pressing needs in important areas like education or portable water or health care, or, or, or so many essentials, an illegal airport speaks bad about the seriousness of the government.

But the question that begs for asking is, who has the temerity to operate the illegal airport in any part of Zamfara state?

No illegal activity, not to talk of illegal airport, can happen without the knowledge and, possibly, the active participation of the elite in the area. This is because it serves ONLY the interest of some few thoughtless elite in the state, and, maybe, even fewer other Nigerian elite as well illegal foreigners. It might also massage the hidden MIGHTY ego of the local elite, and, not unlikely, their equally hidden bragging right. 

Zamfara state has for long been said to be the hotbed of illegal mining activity in the north western part of the country, where the infamous military-eliminated Halilu Subulu, the ‘Capo de Tutti Capi’ of the bandits, was said to control many lands and made a substantial part of his huge fortune of untold billions of Naira. It was made possible with the alleged connivance of those in power at both federal and state levels. This perhaps explains why foreign illegal miners are rarely killed or abducted by the rampaging bandits operating in the area.

Ordinary citizens do not go into illegal mining, they only get involved as mare labourers, who are trying to eke out a living for self and family, usually the extended type in this part of the country. Only the bandits are so involved in the illegal undertaking, but even them, operate with the financing or the support or the cooperation or some of both, of the people in position of absolute authority. And, as often stated by the students of political science, ‘power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely’. It is no less so where the bandits operate.

The banditry in the north, particularly the north west, is alleged to be ignited, fuelled and financed by the Western World, in connivance with powerful northerners and their accomplices from other sections of the country, because of the large deposits of precious stones found in the area. The three states of Zamfara, Katsina and Sokoto are said to be the most endowed.

It is further alleged that the underground deposits of the precious stones are by far greater than the oil deposits in the country. The three states are said to be rich in diamonds, rubies, emerald, sapphire, topaz, opal and their like. Hence the intense activities of the bandits in those states.

A couple of years ago, bullion of gold worth a staggering eight (8) billion naira alleged to belong to a former governor of the state, was said to be intercepted, arrested and taken control of in Ghana. What became of the gold or the matter as a whole, not many people can say, with certainty. But it is anybody’s guess that if nobody comes forward to claim the illegal gold bullion, the Ghanaian authority would keep it for good, or be charitable enough and share it with its Nigerian counterpart, the country where the illegal stuff originated from.

But it is a God given wealth that is supposed to be utilised for everyone by the people ‘elected’ to represent their interests in the nation. But it does not happen that way in Nigeria. In this country, the leaders are only busy with, and care for only, themselves. They only fight, and fight dirty they do, when and where their interests are threatened. The ordinary Nigerian is always left to cater for himself, and be at each other’s throats.

The later often happens during election campaigns and or the election proper, whereas those responsible for the do-or-die fights, sit in their spacious and well equipped parlours, with the members of their immediate family, or offices and wait for the ‘results’. They hardly ever vote, but decide who gets what and who goes home empty handed.

What is being done with all that money is, as the saying goes, neither here nor there. It cannot be invested nor taken to the bank, because the question of how the depositor ‘made’ such huge amount of money will obviously be asked. But a good guess is that, most of it will be left behind after the inevitable death comes calling on the temporary owners. The inheritors or those it is bequeathed to, would use it anyway and anyhow, while the original ‘accumulators’ are in their graves waiting to meet their Creator and explain how they came about ‘such fortunes’ when they were alive on the planet earth.

The murderous activities of the savages called bandits has made it only possible for people in the north western part of Nigeria to go to ‘sleep’ with their two eyes wide open. This is indeed very unfortunate, for a country that is supposed to be the envy of many nations. 

Nigeria is envied by the Western World for its potential, which stems from its huge deposit of various in-demand  mineral resources. For that reason alone, the West fervently wishes for the backwardness of the country. It is also envied by fellow African countries for its economic potential and military prowess, proven times and again in peace keeping operations across the globe.

Unfortunately, the country is, to a  large extent, being governed by incompetent leadership that appears only worried by what it wants, not what the generality of the citizens wants. And despite the said abundance of mineral resources, majority of Nigerians wallow in abject hunger, malnourishment and extreme poverty, because the leaders’s comfort is what concerns them, not the wellbeing of the people.

May we all return to Him, so that the Nigeria could get the good leaders that would lead the citizens according to His divine directives, not as DICTATED by some interests from without its borders.

Malam Malumfashi wrote from Katsina.