Following the disturbing raid by gunmen on some communities in Plateau State, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, said security agencies need to do more to stop such attacks in different parts of the country.
The Sultan who was speaking during the 80th edition of the National Islamic Vocation Course (IVC) Wednesday in Bauchi, said that bandits and other criminal elements attacking Nigerians are always a step ahead of security agencies in gathering intelligence, urging the military and other security agencies to step up intelligence gathering.
“We only condemned such things but after condemning such activities by these bandits and criminals what next? What are the rest of the government who are supposed to protect our lives and property (doing)? Why do we keep on having these deaths? The Tudun Biri incident is still fresh with us and now recent on the Plateau,” the Sultan said.
“Why can’t you be proactive to stop such attacks before they happen? What happened to our intelligence-gathering mechanism? Are you telling me that nobody knew about such attacks?
“In various places whether in Sokoto, Kebbi or Kaduna or anywhere, have we lost our sense of gathering information to avert any or such key loss? We must ask our government to be up and doing because these bandits are always a step ahead.”
Lamenting that insecurity had been politicised in the country, the Sultan said it does not have anything to do with religion but that of leadership.
“We are all in one big country where we have poverty. Yes, Muslims, Christians and even those who don’t have religion go to the same market and they buy the same foodstuff, enter the same vehicles and pay the same fares.”
Meanwhile The Federal Government has vowed that the perpetrators of the Christmas Eve killings would be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law, the minister of police affairs Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, has declared.
“The loss of innocent lives is a tragedy that touches us all, and we stand united with the people of Plateau State during this difficult time.
“In line with the directives of Mr. President, we will leave no stone unturned in apprehending both the collaborators and prime suspects involved in this crime against humanity. Our collective resolve is to ensure that those responsible face the full force of the law.
“We also pray for the quick recovery of the injured citizens and security agencies who bravely worked to secure the affected villages. It is our firm belief that by standing together, cooperating with security agencies, and providing vital information, we can assist in arresting these callous criminals who are currently on the run.
“We understand the gravity of the security challenges facing Plateau State and the entire country, and we assure you of our continued collaboration with other stakeholders to address these issues.
“Despite this tragic incident, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ongoing reforms within the police, aimed at enhancing professionalism and the delivery of top-notch service to the Nigerian people. We will not allow such incidents to deter us from our mission,” Geidam said in a statement.
