By OLAKUNLE MARUF, Sokoto

Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has said that the state is under the grip of bandits and kidnappers, who have been terrorising its populace in recent times.

The governor said the security situation in the state has been worsened by the influx of bandits and criminals displaced by the defective manoeuvres of security personnel deployed under the Operation HadarinDaji, to end their nefarious activities in neighbouring Zamfara State.

He stressed that the influx of the bandits from Zamfara has made the state ‘very vulnerable’ to the deadly and in-human activities of criminals’.

According to a statement credited to his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Muhammad Bello, the governor made the submission when he received a Federal Government delegation led by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Muhammad Babagana Munguno (rtd) on Friday. He noted following the HadarinDaji operation, daylight attacks and kidnappings have enveloped some parts of Isa SabonBirni, Tangaza, Illela and several other local government areas of the state.

Monguno’s team include: the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba; the Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), Major General Samuel Adebayo; the Director-General of the State Security Service and the National Intelligence Agency, Yusuf Maitama Bichi and Ambassador Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar respectively.

Governor Tambuwal told the visitors that:

“Timing of Operation HadarinDaji was carried out without any block- ing force around the neighboring states, particularly, Sokoto.

“Our security agents do not have enough equipment to move and curtail and contain those that would pander towards Sokoto State. So, the timing and way the operation was carried out left Sokoto very vulnerable,’ the governor explained.

Earlier in his remarks, General Monguno, who thanked Tambuwal for cutting short an official trip to receive the Federal Government delegation at a very short notice, said they were in Sokoto “on a specific mission and instruction of President Buhari to condole you and the very good people of Sokoto State, as well as His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, who apparently is in Abuja, over the unfortunate incidents that have been occurring over the last couple of weeks.

He explained that their visit “affirms the seriousness with which Mr President views the occurrence of the last couple of weeks, stressing that: “It has been unfortunate series of developments in which very innocent lives have been lost.”

“No life lost is one that is less important. Every life of every citizen is important; and, it gives great concern to Mr President that needless loss of lives are occurring.

“Mr President wants me to convey his profound condolence over the loss of all the citizens who have departed. He wants us to also express his deep sympathy as well as his determination that the perpetrators of these very gruesome, wicked activities are apprehended and brought to book.

“The very fact that the very top security echelon in the country is here is an indication that Mr President wants us to address this issue so that some form of comfort is given to the people of Sokoto state by a definite closure through a definite process in concluding what has happened to these unfortunate and innocent citizens.

“Mr President is deeply troubled that fellow citizens had to go through this trauma. He has charged to make sure that all the relevant agencies do not rest until we are able to flush out the perpetrators of not just these last two incidents that occurred, but also previous incidents,” he said.

Monguno’s delegation afterwards had closed-door session with their host, his Deputy, Hon. Manir Muhammad Dan’Iya, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Aminu Muhammad Achida, Chairmen of Isa and SabonBirni local government area, heads of security agencies. (Sunday Tribune)

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