By Muhammad Goronyo, Sokoto
….as stakeholders checkmate preponderance of crimes
Concerted efforts by the Federal Government and numerous stakeholders in the country to checkmate the preponderance of crimes and criminalities across the country have been thwarted in some ways by the politics of arms sales rolled out by arms manufacturers and their governments in the world.
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto state stated this on Wednesday while condoling people of Goronyo, Sabon Birni and Isa local government areas in the Eastern flank of the state over the recent bandits attacks in the areas.
According to him, although the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is doing its best possible to end the spate of insecurity in the country, this is difficult to attain because of the ‘end users’ requirements of arms manufacturers abroad and the stipulations of their respective governments as to who or what country should procure arms and ammunition.
“Try as the government of PMB may, Nigeria does not manufacture arms and ammunition. So, it has has to buy these from foreign countries where the arms manufacturers are situated.
“Invariably, this makes it a victim of global arms purveying politics which determines who purchases what weapons and to what use he is going to put it.
“There is no doubt that what is largely required in the fight against insecurity are high grade weapons and munitions, but where the procurement of such is teleguided by the interests of the producers and sellers, the government of the day will certainly witness the kind of drawbacks we have been witnessing over time in recent years,” Gov. Tambuwal said.
He explained that despite efforts by state governors in the country, who have unanimously agreed to the deduction of $1 billion in three to four years from their lean accruals from the federal government for the purchase of working equipment for the security agencies in the country, the insecurity situation is yet to abate.
He, however, added that all these snags will not deter the Sokoto state government from working closely with the federal government and security agencies in the state to ensure that peace is established troubled areas of the state, as over time the northern governors have met several times with the president and assured him of their total support towards addressing the security challenges in their areas.
The Governor urged the federal government to recruit more security personnel and provide them with enough facilities, reassuring that the state government, which has since its inception six years ago donated 450 vehicles, in addition to other logistic support, to security agencies in the state, will continue to do more to strengthen their operations.
He pledged that soon the state government will provide vehicles and allowances to lawfully constituted vigilante groups who will work under the supervision of security agencies in the state so as to curb the security challenges in the crime-prone areas.
Turning to the communities under siege, Gov. Tambuwal appealed to them to expose informants in their midst who supply information to the criminals on the movement of people and goods.
“Informants are our enemies. We must take appropriate measures to address their activities. Even if an informant is your son or your daughter, please let the government know. We are ready to take tackle them by bringing them to book lawfully,” he assured.
He also urged people of the state to stop playing politics with security issues, stating that the criminals don’t categorize their victims into tribes, political parties or religion they subscribe to. Instead, they attack people irrespective of leanings or convictions.
He appealed to traditional rulers and clerics in the state to continue to pray to Almighty Allah in order for the government to re-establish peace in the state and the country in general.
Praying for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives to the brigandage of marauders, Gov. Tambuwal expressed satisfaction over the manner in which relief materials the government provided to the IDPs in the affected areas were distributed.
Twenty four hours before the Governor’s sympathy visit a committee mandated by the state government had, on Tuesday, distributed food items to the victims of bandits’ attacks at Sabon Birni and Goronyo local government areas.
The items distributed at Sabon Birni include 300 bags of millet,200 sacks of rice, 300 sacks of gari, 60 gallons of oil, 30 jerry cans of palm oil, 30 sacks of sugar,12 sacks of salt,15 sacks of beans, while Goronyo received 200 sacks of millet, 100 sacks of rice, 200 sacks of gari, 40 jerry cans of groundnut oil, 20 jerry cans of palm oil, 8 sacks of salt, 20 sacks of sugar among other items.
Speaking while handing over the items to the chairmen of the local government areas, the Commissioner of Solid Minerals, Maikudi Abubakar Sabon Birni, charged the Chairmen to ensure equitable distribution of the items to the affected IDPs.
He also prayed Allah to bring peace and sanity to the area, state and country in general; and also to prevent future reoccurrence of the incident.
In their seperate remarks, the chairmen of the areas, Hon Abdulwahab Yahaya Goronyo and that of Sabon Birni, Umar Dan Yaro Unguwar Lalle, who received the food items on behalf of the victims of their respective areas commended the state government for its prompt response geared towards further alleviating the plight of the affected victims, assuring that the items will be shared among affected victims without any fear or favour.
Also speaking, some members of the state government delegation: Professor Mansur Ibrahim and Malam Lawal Maidoki charged the IDPs to take the incident as destiny and will of Allah.
They also appealed to them to intensify prayers in order to seek Allah’s intervention for the sustenance of peace and harmony.
Other members of the committee include, the federal legislators representing Sabon Birni/ Isah constituencies, Hon. Saidu Bargaja, the Special Advisers to the Governor on emergency management and political affairs.
