Bandits Now Rule in Northern Communities, Laments Sultan of Sokoto
*As Northern elders forum explains why Buhari should resign
By Our Correspondent
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, Wednesday cried out over the worsening security situation in the country, saying that criminals now rule in some communities in the North.
Sa’ad Abubakar Abubakar said no where in the country was safe, enjoining Islamic clerics to begin special prayer over the security challenges.
Reacting to the killing of 43 farmers in Borno state by the Boko Haram insurgents, he called on the federal government to wake up to its responsibilities instead of paying lip service to the problem.
In a statement signed by the JNI Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Aliyu, reads, “Wanton killings, acts of banditry, kidnapping for ransom, high rate of unemployment amongst the youths, rape and all forms of terrorisms have now become the ‘New Trend’ in our communities.
“Nigerians have become so much terrified, as nowhere is safe; the home, the farms, and the roads. Bandits now rule in many communities, they set rules that must be obeyed.”
The Sultan in the statement consoled the people of Borno state over the killing of the rice farmers in Zabarmari. Jere Local Government.
According to him, “Forty-three human beings as reported by the media were slaughtered without any intervention by the security forces in the area. The senseless act stands condemned in the strongest of terms.
“Unfortunately, the common man is now caught in-between two contending phenomenon; when he goes to the farm, he gets killed; and when he stays at home, he dies of hunger. It should be known that this singular act of Zabarmari was a calculated attempt to instill fears among farmers and jeopardise the frantic efforts of returning Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their localities by the Borno State government under the leadership of Governor Babagana Umar Zulum.
“For how long, would we continue to live a life in fear? For how long, can we continue to wait in vain? For how long, shall we continue to condemn acts of terrorism without any concerted efforts in ending it? For how long, would we continue to remain indolent? And for how long can we continue to remain hopeless in a precarious situation such as what we are in presently?”.
He expressed dismay that the federal government did not visit Borno state within 24 hours to condole with the state government over the incident.
He said, , “All that was needed immediately the incident occurred was a proactive measure(s) by the federal government of Nigeria, such as a prompt visit within 24 hours to the affected areas.
“This will assuage the affected communities to have more confidence in their leaders, seeing that they are not left alone in their ordeal and it will also send a strong signal to insurgents that the government is ready to go to any length to protect its people.”
“We call on the government to: Always identify with victims and places of attacks by being physically on the ground to commiserate with the people. A national broadcast after the visit is very necessary. “Reprimand/prosecute officials that are found wanting in the discharge of their assignment(s), so as to serve as a deterrent to other nonchalant officials”.
Meanwhle the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) again Wednesday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to resign over the state of insecurity in the country.
Speaking during a live television programme, the NEF spokesman, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, maintained that Buhari has failed to secure Nigerians.
He said, “We will continue to ask that he (Buhari) resigns. He is a democratically elected president. We wish he is doing better but he is not. Ordinarily, under a democratic system, a leader is supposed to deliver, he is supposed to do two things – he is supposed to secure citizens and he is supposed to facilitate their economic welfare. He (Buhari) hasn’t done the first and he is not doing the second. So, explain to me on what basis President Buhari should continue to be our president?
“However, it is his right to continue to be the president even if Nigerians are unhappy and unsatisfied with what he is doing, that is his right but we will not keep quiet; we will continue to speak up that he has failed Nigerians, he is failing Nigerians and under a democratic setting, we have to raise our voices and say, ‘Mr. President, you are just not good enough for this country’. That is just the simple truth.
“We have respected the President, we understand the difficulty he is facing and we understand how difficult it is to tell him to resign but we also have the democratic right to tell him, ‘Sorry sir, you cannot run this country, you have been given five, six years to do so and the situation is just getting worse and we believe that you have nothing new to offer and the only way is for you to resign’. We believe we are speaking for millions of Nigerians.”
The NEF had two days ago asked Buhari to resign.
By Our Correspondent
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, Wednesday cried out over the worsening security situation in the country, saying that criminals now rule in some communities in the North.
Sa’ad Abubakar Abubakar said no where in the country was safe, enjoining Islamic clerics to begin special prayer over the security challenges.
Reacting to the killing of 43 farmers in Borno state by the Boko Haram insurgents, he called on the federal government to wake up to its responsibilities instead of paying lip service to the problem.
In a statement signed by the JNI Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Aliyu, reads, “Wanton killings, acts of banditry, kidnapping for ransom, high rate of unemployment amongst the youths, rape and all forms of terrorisms have now become the ‘New Trend’ in our communities.
“Nigerians have become so much terrified, as nowhere is safe; the home, the farms, and the roads. Bandits now rule in many communities, they set rules that must be obeyed.”
The Sultan in the statement consoled the people of Borno state over the killing of the rice farmers in Zabarmari. Jere Local Government.
According to him, “Forty-three human beings as reported by the media were slaughtered without any intervention by the security forces in the area. The senseless act stands condemned in the strongest of terms.
“Unfortunately, the common man is now caught in-between two contending phenomenon; when he goes to the farm, he gets killed; and when he stays at home, he dies of hunger. It should be known that this singular act of Zabarmari was a calculated attempt to instill fears among farmers and jeopardise the frantic efforts of returning Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their localities by the Borno State government under the leadership of Governor Babagana Umar Zulum.
“For how long, would we continue to live a life in fear? For how long, can we continue to wait in vain? For how long, shall we continue to condemn acts of terrorism without any concerted efforts in ending it? For how long, would we continue to remain indolent? And for how long can we continue to remain hopeless in a precarious situation such as what we are in presently?”.
He expressed dismay that the federal government did not visit Borno state within 24 hours to condole with the state government over the incident.
He said, , “All that was needed immediately the incident occurred was a proactive measure(s) by the federal government of Nigeria, such as a prompt visit within 24 hours to the affected areas.
“This will assuage the affected communities to have more confidence in their leaders, seeing that they are not left alone in their ordeal and it will also send a strong signal to insurgents that the government is ready to go to any length to protect its people.”
“We call on the government to: Always identify with victims and places of attacks by being physically on the ground to commiserate with the people. A national broadcast after the visit is very necessary. “Reprimand/prosecute officials that are found wanting in the discharge of their assignment(s), so as to serve as a deterrent to other nonchalant officials”.
Meanwhle the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) again Wednesday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to resign over the state of insecurity in the country.
Speaking during a live television programme, the NEF spokesman, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, maintained that Buhari has failed to secure Nigerians.
He said, “We will continue to ask that he (Buhari) resigns. He is a democratically elected president. We wish he is doing better but he is not. Ordinarily, under a democratic system, a leader is supposed to deliver, he is supposed to do two things – he is supposed to secure citizens and he is supposed to facilitate their economic welfare. He (Buhari) hasn’t done the first and he is not doing the second. So, explain to me on what basis President Buhari should continue to be our president?
“However, it is his right to continue to be the president even if Nigerians are unhappy and unsatisfied with what he is doing, that is his right but we will not keep quiet; we will continue to speak up that he has failed Nigerians, he is failing Nigerians and under a democratic setting, we have to raise our voices and say, ‘Mr. President, you are just not good enough for this country’. That is just the simple truth.
“We have respected the President, we understand the difficulty he is facing and we understand how difficult it is to tell him to resign but we also have the democratic right to tell him, ‘Sorry sir, you cannot run this country, you have been given five, six years to do so and the situation is just getting worse and we believe that you have nothing new to offer and the only way is for you to resign’. We believe we are speaking for millions of Nigerians.”
The NEF had two days ago asked Buhari to resign.
FOLLOW US
About Post Author
