President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described the lingering insecurity bedevilling Nigeria, particularly the North West region of the country, as inherited security compromises.
The president linked the banditry and insurgency facing the country to historical injustices meted out to the adverse victims of conflicts.
Reflecting on his inaugural speech one year ago, Tinubu noted that “we promised to make Nigeria safer, and this aim has been our topmost priority since we came to office.”
The president made the position known as the Deputy Vice Chancellor Research, Innovation, and Development at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS), Professor Yusuf Saidu, was killed Monday by bandits on his way to Kaduna.
…Tinubu on insecurity in the North
And speaking Monday at a two-day security and peace summit organised by the North-West Governors Forum (NWGF), President Tinubu informed the gathering of efforts by the administration to stem the tide of insecurity in the north and other parts of the country.
The summit was organised by the NWGF in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme in Katsina, Katsina state.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the president said: “Beyond the economic rationale that drove the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria, the formation of our great nation was inspired by the need for mutual protection.
“But, I ask, how can we achieve this sacred objective if one part is afflicted? We have long established that whatever ails any part of this federation destabilizes the other. So, the issue of national security in the North-West is not a sectional agenda.
“The road to redeeming the security compromises we inherited was mapped out before we embarked on this journey. We realized that achieving the peace we seek necessitates addressing the historical injustices that have torn communities apart.
“We must also reverse the institutional frailties governing security and the economic dysfunctions that create vulnerabilities to crime. We must also counter the ideological mischief that has pervaded the discourse of peace and security in the region.
“The solution we seek is a region where every trade is safe, where every group is at peace and where the policing and military presence of the state is optimal.”
“This disintegration, from cycles of clashes between herders and farmers, has ruptured the ideas of oneness upon which the North revolved. This was followed by a regime of cattle rustling that set herders on a path of violence.
“Over the past decades, we have seen how these land-use disputes drove the farmer-herder conflicts, as climate change diminished our arable land and water resources, as the capacity of our security forces was overwhelmed, as unauthorized arms proliferated conflict zones, as corruption undermined our quest for solutions, and as criminal and insurgent elements exploited the complexity of our crisis to cross into our borders.
“What we are witnessing across the North is an explosion of these damaged relationships and we have come to say: enough is enough.
“Our first decision was to task our brothers from the North-West and the North-East with the defence and security of the region.
“Our military forces, through various operations such as Operation Hadin Kai and Operation Safe Haven, have made true their promise to the nation by targeting insurgent groups like Boko Haram and bandits who have held us ransom for too long.
“Through enhanced border security and intelligence capabilities, we have disrupted and dismantled criminal networks.
“To build pragmatic solutions to our security compromises, we are strengthening collaborations among the Services and other security agencies to ensure a unified approach.
“The kinetic and non-kinetic interventions we have pursued are designed to build the perimeter of our security infrastructure to the point that every child who goes to school returns safely, every person who sets out on a trip arrives at their destination securely, every trader who goes to the market conducts their transactions without fear, and every farmer plant seeds and harvests their produce in secure environments. We cannot achieve this unless we come together,” he added.
…Forum chair’s remarks
Earlier in his remarks, Chairman North-West Governors’ Forum and Katsina state Governor Dikko Radda said, “though the fight against insecurity is primarily a federal responsibility, there is a need for all to join hands and fight the scourge.”
Radda further explained that “banditry has cast a shadow over our communities. It has disrupted lives, stifled economic activities, and instilled fear among our people. We cannot allow this menace to define our region.
“As leaders, we must adopt a multifaceted approach that includes robust intelligence gathering, community policing, and deploying advanced security technologies. Furthermore, we must enhance the capacity of our national security forces through continuous improvements and adequate resources.”
…UNDP
The UNDP representative in Nigeria, Elsie Gyekyeua Atafauh, in her address, also said the security and peace summit initiative was a vital step towards promoting development and deepening the foundation of peace in the Northern region of Nigeria.
“If Nigeria must retain the position of a giant of Africa, we must pay attention to the North-West,” she added.
…Sultan tasks northerners
Also speaking, Sultan of Sokoto Muhammadu Abubakar III advised northerners to challenge bandits and insurgents to overcome the menacing security challenge in the North.
Sultan Abubakar described the consequences of banditry and insurgency on Northern residents as devastating.
The monarch, who is also the President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) added that it would take decades for the North-West region to come out of the security challenge.
He said: “What we must do is to challenge these bandits because we all know the consequences of banditry and insurgency on our lives. But it will take decades to get out of it if all we get out of it. We all know the consequences and the problems.”
The monarch stated that the traditional rulers were ready to partner with security agencies and the North West governors to save the region from banditry and insurgency.
He expressed his belief that proposals to bring banditry and insurgency to the barest minimum for people to go about their lives and businesses would be arrived at the end of the summit.
…Sokoto varsity DVC killed
Meanwhile, the authority of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS) has announced the death of its DVC Research, Innovation and Development, Professor Yusuf Saidu.
In a statement Monday, the university said: “The death has occurred of Prof. Yusuf Saidu, the current Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research, Innovation, and Development at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.
“He was attacked and killed by bandits on his way to Kaduna from Sokoto State. A man of integrity, religion, dedication, and courage.”
The university community prayed for the repose of the late don’s soul and expressed their condolences to his family and colleagues.
“May Allah accept his soul and forgive his sins. This is a painful loss to all members of the University community and the academia at large,” the statement further added.
Also, a group of bandits Monday blocked Gusau-Funtua federal highway and kidnapped many passengers.
Blueprint gathered that the bandits attacked passengers around Kucheri village of Tsafe local government area of Zamfara state around 11:30am.
A resident of the area told our correspondent via telephone interview that the bandits came in large number riding motorcycles.
“We were busy on our farms, only to sight the bandits in large numbers riding motorcycles and heading to the main highway with sophisticated weapons,” he said.
The source said the DVC of UDUS was on his way from Funtua axis to Sokoto when he met the bandits, adding that when the don resisted arrest, the bandits instantly shot him.
Also, another group of bandits invaded Danbaza village of Maradun local government area of Zamfara state, and kidnapped 35 people in the process.
A resident who identified as Malam Lawali Danbaza, told Blueprint via telephone interview that the bandits besieged the village at around 8:00pm Sunday and kidnapped the victims.
“We only heard gunshots sporadically when they stormed our village and we ran to nearby forest for our safety. But later, we discovered that over 35 people, including women, girls and men were kidnapped by the bandits during the attack,” he stated.
The police were yet to comment on the development as at the time of this report.