Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto, has asked the federal government to recruit special forces to fight bandits in their enclaves in the forest.
According to NAN, Tambuwal spoke on Wednesday when he received a delegation of the North-west Governors’ Forum led by Aminu Masari, governor of Katsina.
The delegation was in Sokoto to commiserate with the state over the security challenges — including the recent attack on a bus which led to killing of 23 travellers.
Tambuwal said the special forces will complement the efforts of security personnel in tackling banditry.
“Bandits have no religious, ideological or ethnicity inclinations; they are notorious criminals terrorising law-abiding citizens,’’ the governor said.
“The recruited persons shall serve as special forces equipped with right skills and modern firearms to confront bandits since the locals know the terrains.
“After the special mission, the recruited persons could be re-engaged as forest guards to prevent new security challenges.
“In Sokoto state, we outlawed the self-styled vanguards referred at ‘Yansakai’ whose activities of extra-judicious killings led to reprisals and escalation of the situation.”
The governor said the situation in the country requires everyone involved in tackling the menace irrespective of political persuasion.
“All hands must be on deck to check banditry and to support President Buhari at all levels to contain the situation,” he said.
“This situation calls for specialised approach with a holistic support from community groups, religious leaders and other individuals to tackle.”
On his part, Masari expressed his condolences to Sokoto state on the recent attacks by bandits, noting that measures are being put in place to address the situation.
“Bandits behave worse than animals in view of the atrocities they perpetrate; people need to protect themselves,” he said.
“Police and other security personnel are inadequate, so we shall not wait for those barbaric bandits to maim and kill people at random.
“We shall confront them and deal with them the way they are supposed to be dealt with. It is no longer a blame game, rather we shall shun political differences to support authorities on containing the situation.”
