Killings: Northern Traditional Rulers Demand Decisive Action By Tinubu
Northern traditional rulers, have called for a decisive action plan by President Bola Tinubu-led government in tackling the unrelenting wave of killings and insecurity ravaging the region.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, who stated the position of the traditional rulers, specifically expressed frustration over what he described as “the unrelenting wave” of killings and insecurity ravaging the region.
The Sultan however, cautioned against ethnic and religious profiling of criminals, saying that criminality knows no boundaries.
He said; “In every tribe or religion, there are good and bad eggs. So, let’s not look at some people and say they are the cause of our problems”.
The Sultan of Sokoto who stated these at the 7th Executive Committee Meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council in Maiduguri, noted that traditional rulers were more concerned than over the deteriorating situation, stressing that that “Enough is Enough”.
Abubakar said that the coming together of traditional rulers in the North, is to speak with one voice over the senseless killing of innocent people across the North and across the country, adding that despite repeated public condemnations of violence, the killings continued unabated.
According to him; “We have released so many statements of condemnations, but how many times do we need to condemn these killings before our political leaders and security agencies stop or reduce the insecurity in the country to the barest minimum?”
“We, the traditional rulers, feel bad and saddened when our people are killed by people we don’t know. It is high time we worked harder, talked to ourselves and in closed door meetings discussed it. We shall advise our political leaders, they are at the helm of affairs and we will work with them,” he assured.
The Sultan specifically said that traditional rulers were not in competition with state governors, but playing a complementary role in stabilising their communities, adding that traditional rulers are not and will never be in contention with political leadership or governors.
The Sultan noted reports of a resurgence of Boko Haram activities, especially in remote communities and prayed that Almighty Allah will them the strength and wherewithal to defeat the insurgents.
He appealed to citizens not to lose faith because of insecurity in some parts of Borno, adding that there is insecurity everywhere in the world.
In the words of the Sultan of Sokoto; “For some of us that have gone round the world, will know more people are being killed in some developed countries everyday than the total amount of people killed in Nigeria in one month or two months”.
“What happened in Plateau yesterday, and within the week, over 100 people were killed. It’s very bad because people appear from somewhere, kill you and they are never arrested.
“Before them, people were killed in Sokoto on Sallah day, killed in Kebbi, as so many other places. If you put together the total number of people killed in the country in the last one month, it is so high.”
While declaring the meeting open, Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was represented by Governor Babagana Zulum, said that there was an urgent need to focus on youth empowerment in Northern Nigeria.
Shettima said; “Our youth population is large, energetic and eager to contribute, but many are without opportunities. This vacuum is dangerous. We must invest heavily in skills acquisition, vocational education, digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
He said; “Agriculture has remained the economic lifeline for the North, hence deliberate effort is needed to enhance farming activities across the region”.
In his own remarks, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who was represented by Assistant Inspector-General Kenechikwu Onwuemelie of Zone 15, said that sustainable security can only be achieved through a whole of society approach, and therefore pledged continued partnership and support from the Nigeria Police Force in the fight against insecurity.
