It is no longer news that Sokoto State, seat of the former Sokoto Caliphate has clearly lost its peace and innocence. No thanks to the notoriety of bandits’ activities that have made life hellish for residents of the North-West State.
Latest on the banditry now ravaging the State is the criminal elements’ dastardly act of burning to death 23 passengers in a fresh attack on the area.
The passengers, travelling from Sokoto to Gayan in Kaduna state, were on Monday intercepted and burnt to ashes by the suspected bandits.
And sadly continuing with what has become an annoying routine for Nigerians, the Presidency, and the National Assembly (NASS) have made good their usual rituals of mourning the loss of innocent lives with that age-long lame-duck pledge of ensuring the culprits are brought to book.
Painfully, amid mouthing the vow, family members are left to bury their dead without any consequential arrest and prosecution of the deadly bandits.
In his condolence message to the affected families, President Buhari expressed sadness over the gruesome attack and murder of innocent travellers in Sokoto State.
The President, who reacted to the incident on Wednesday, said; “I am very distressed at the manner of death visited on these hapless citizens who were undertaking a legitimate journey to another part of the country.”
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina in Abuja, President Buhari said; “It shows that the evil this administration is confronting is one that requires the support and involvement of all Nigerians.
“I extend deep condolences to the families of the victims as I assure that the security agencies will continue to give their all to bring to an end the operations of these despicable people.”
On its part, the Nigerian Senate, coming under order 43 of its rules, had Senator Ibrahim Gobir drawing his colleagues’ attention to the gruesome murder of the travellers.
The lawmaker, representing Sokoto East Senatorial District in the Red Chamber, lamented the spate of killings, describing them as “alarming and on the increase.”
Senator Gobir urged the military and security agencies to immediately intervene by deploying personnel to secure the lives of residents in states affected by the activities of bandits.
Consequently, the Upper Legislative Chamber observed a minute silence in honour of the victims, which reports said were attacked around Angwan Bawa in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
