Sultan indicts FG for pervasive insecurity, urges immediate action

Forum 3 years ago

Sultan indicts FG for pervasive insecurity, urges immediate action

Disturbed by the pervasive insecurity in the country, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of Jama’atu Nasir Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, yesterday said the killings by Boko Haram insurgents and bandits would have been avoided if the Federal Government had “risen to the occasion.” He, consequently, advised government to brace up to the responsibility of defending the citizens by ending the menace nationwide.

In a statement issued yesterday by the Security General of JNI, Dr. Khalid Abubaker Aliyu, the Sultan stated that rather than apportioning blames and rejecting opposing views, the presidency should muster the political will to tackle the issue once and for all.

Abubakar said: “JNI is in utter shockwave over the unfortunate repeated losses of precious lives and wanton destruction of property arising from the well-coordinated attacks of armed bandits, Boko Haram terrorist groups and rapists.

“These repeated calamitous scenarios would have been avoided had the government risen to the occasion.

“We nonetheless, as always, condemn the repeated brutal acts in their entirety, especially the lackadaisical attitude of relevant security agencies that seemed to be overwhelmed despite repeated calls by concerned and well-meaning Nigerians for a decisive action.”

He continued: “We implore government to take all genuine calls, concerns so raised and recommendations proffered so far, even from perceived and/or alleged antagonists in good fate, in order to move the country on the path of glory – human security, as development in whatever guise – is utterly incomplete without security.”

The Sultan further said: “Government at all levels should do everything possible, as a matter of urgency, to stop these evil acts of terror repeatedly being unleashed on innocent souls and restore peace and security, which is their first constitutional role, as silence is no longer acceptable.

“The Nigerian Army and all other security outfits in Nigeria must be properly equipped and adequately maintained by the government, as the narrative making the round suggests that the criminals have more sophisticated armouries than the security men on the frontline.”

In a related development, heads of security agencies yesterday met with Governor Aminu Masari in Katsina to brainstorm over the security challenge in the North West region.

Led by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj-Gen. Babagana Mungono (rtd), the delegation included the Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Adamu; Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar; his Department of State Services (DSS) counterpart, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, and the Chief of Defence Intelligence Agency, Air Vice Marshal M.S. Usman.

Addressing reporters after the gathering, Mungono, who said they were in the state at the behest of President Muhammadu Buhari, assured Nigerians that the security chiefs were unrelenting in their effort to rid Katsina and the entire region of bandits and their peers.