The government of Zamfara State has reacted to an article “When Zamfara State Prepares Graves Instead of Protection” apparently on ₦1 billion ultramodern cemeteries captured in its 2026 budget.
The reaction was contain in a response by Nuhu Salisu Anka, the Director General Media and Communication Zamfara State Government House, saying the article presents an emotional interpretation of a single budget provision in the 2026 Zamfara State budget.
Anka said while public scrutiny of government spending is legitimate and welcome in a democracy, it must be grounded in facts, context, and fairness.
“Budgets are indeed moral and political documents, but they are also comprehensive governance instruments. They reflect simultaneous commitments across sectors—security, health, education, infrastructure, and social services. Isolating one allocation without examining the broader security architecture of the state risks misleading the public.
“Since the assumption of office by His Excellency in 2023, security has remained the foremost priority of the Zamfara State Government. From 2023 to date, the administration has committed substantial resources towards restoring peace and strengthening operational capacity across the state. These efforts include:
1. Procurement of operational vehicles and logistics support for security agencies.
2. Direct financial assistance to federal security formations operating within Zamfara.
3. Strengthening of community protection structures and intelligence networks.
4. Construction and rehabilitation of security posts in vulnerable local government areas.
5. Payment of allowances and operational support to frontline personnel.
6. Investment in peace-building and reconciliation initiatives across affected communities.
“Most recently, the Zamfara State Government under the leadership of His Excellency procured 30 armoured personnel carriers to enhance combat operations against banditry and criminal elements. This significant acquisition underscores the administration’s clear commitment to confronting insecurity with modern equipment and strategic force reinforcement. Such an investment directly contradicts any claim that the government is indifferent to protection of lives.
“Security interventions are often embedded across multiple ministries and operational frameworks. They do not always appear under a single budget heading labeled “security.” A fair assessment must therefore consider the totality of expenditures and interventions since 2023.
“Against this backdrop, the ₦1 billion allocation for ultramodern cemeteries must be understood within proper civic context. Public cemeteries are essential infrastructure. In several urban centres across Zamfara, burial grounds are overstretched, poorly planned, and environmentally unsustainable. Organising and modernising these spaces is a matter of public health, urban planning, and respect for human dignity.
“To suggest that building structured cemeteries equates to preparing for mass death is both emotionally charged and logically unsound.
“Governments construct hospitals without wishing for sickness and equip fire services without hoping for disaster. Planning for dignified burial infrastructure is not surrender—it is responsible governance.”
He further said in a deeply religious society such as Zamfara, respect for the deceased carries spiritual weight. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an:
“Then He causes him to die and provides a grave for him.” (Surah ‘Abasa 80:21)
This verse affirms burial as part of divine order and human dignity.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also instructed: “Hasten with the funeral (of the deceased)…”
(Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).
Islam emphasises proper and dignified burial. Providing organised cemetery facilities, aligns with religious responsibility and public duty. It does not diminish the obligation to protect life.
Security and development are not mutually exclusive responsibilities. A government must fight insecurity while simultaneously sustaining civil infrastructure. Suspending all development because of insecurity would amount to administrative paralysis.
The Zamfara State Government has demonstrated through concrete investments—including the procurement of 30 armoured personnel carriers—that it is actively strengthening operational capacity. The cemetery project does not replace security spending; it exists alongside robust and ongoing security measures.
The public discourse must avoid narratives that reduce complex governance decisions to symbolic accusations. The 2026 budget should therefore be evaluated holistically.
Leadership is measured not by a single line item, but by sustained commitment, strategic action, and measurable results. Zamfara remains committed to protecting lives, restoring peace, and ensuring dignity in all aspects of public life—both for the living and for the deceased.
He therefore urged for constructive criticism to strengthens democracy as selective interpretation weakens it. Zamfara deserves balanced debate rooted in facts.
