Sokoto monarch’s death: Groups demand action, accountability from governors

The Rebuild Arewa Initiative For Development (RAID) and the Northern Consensus Movement (NCM) have condemned the abduction and murder of the District Head of Gatawa in Sokoto State, Isa Muhammad Bawa. They called on the federal government to evolve new strategies to secure lives and properties, noting that Nigeria cannot grow under the current conditions. […]

The Rebuild Arewa Initiative For Development (RAID) and the Northern Consensus Movement (NCM) have condemned the abduction and murder of the District Head of Gatawa in Sokoto State, Isa Muhammad Bawa.

They called on the federal government to evolve new strategies to secure lives and properties, noting that Nigeria cannot grow under the current conditions.

President of RAID, Comrade Balarabe Rufai, at the press briefing in Abuja on Friday, observed killings of innocent citizens and traditional rulers in the northern region by criminal elements.

While advocating for peace, unity, and development of the region, they condemned the act and also felt disappointed in how the Sokoto State Government handled the matter.

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The group urged the Minister of Defense, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar; Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle; and heads of security organizations to double their efforts in restoring security in the north.

Rufai said: “We in RAID, NCM and the entire Northern Nigeria are highly disappointed with the Government of Sokoto State.

“As the chief security officer of the State, he demonstrated poor capacity in protecting the Royal father who jealously served his people and state for more than 40 years.

“We also observe with dismay the wanton killings of innocent Citizens and Traditional Rulers in the region by criminal elements and call for more proactive measures from Security Agencies to harden their duties of protecting lives and properties of the citizenry.

“We are calling on governors in the region to as a matter of utmost priority treat insecurity as their top agenda of governance; States such: Niger, where farmers farmlands are now shared with bandits, Taraba State, where many Chiefs have been killed by bandits.”