Poor implementation of policies fuel insecurity in Nigeria – Sultan

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BY ABUBAKAR H. MUHAMMAD, FEBRUARY 02, 2022 | 12:26 PM


Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto has said that the increasing security threats, killings and destruction of properties in the country is fueled by poor implementation of security policies in the country.

He said that while all hands must be on deck to face the problem, traditional leaders in the northern part of the country have been working tirelessly to address the issue and are doing so in contact with the president, state governors and other stakeholders.

The sultan, also the chairman, Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council, NTRC, said this on Tuesday in Abuja, the nation’s capital, while speaking at Northern Stakeholders’ Security Summit, with the theme: ‘Curbing Rise Spate of Security through Collective Efforts.’

‘We don’t lack the wherewithal to do our jobs except for the implementation level. We talked about it and even developed a template but implementation remains a problem,’ the sultan was quoted by Leadership Newspaper.

He assured that the traditional rulers will continue to play their roles in their various capacities and as custodians of traditions.

On arrest and prosecution of perpetrators, the sultan frowned at how security and related agencies are handling the situation, noting that some of the arrested criminals are released on bail and allowed to go back to terrorizing the people, threatening those who exposed them.

‘While we expect diligent prosecution, we appeal to the judiciary to exercise due diligence and greater caution in the exercise of their discretion for bail to suspected criminals engaged in violent crimes,’ he said.

The north has over the years been more pre-occupied with many security issues.

In the northwest and north-central, banditry, kidnapping and cow rustling, among other criminal activities, reign almost on daily basis.

In Kaduna alone, over ten attacks were carried out by bandits in January this year and in 2021, over 1, 192 persons were killed. About 3,348 kidnapped across the state, according to the state government.

Also, in Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara states, where bandits’ activities are more frequent, scores of people have been killed, kidnapped and raped with many properties destroyed.

Other stakeholders in the meeting also expressed their concerns over the incessant security crisis in the country.

‘The sad part of this development is that the condemnable acts are even brought to the doorsteps of victims as well as on the highways whenever our people venture out to pursue their legitimate means of livelihoods.

‘This is why the synergy between the government, security agencies, citizens and traditional rulers remains paramount in changing the sad narrative,’ Simon Bako Lalong, Governor of Plateau State and chairman Northern Governors Forum also said.


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