The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, said on Thursday that the northern part was Nigeria was the worst place to live as a result of the high rate of insecurity in the area.
He lamented that bandits go about their business with impunity moving freely around households, in villages, and markets with AK-47 rifles in open.
He said the bandits even stop at markets to buy foodstuffs and other items and collect change without being challenged by anyone.
The Sultan, who spoke at the fourth quarterly meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council in Abuja, with the theme “‘Questioning for peace in the challenges of insecurity and COVID-19,” noted that the security system in the North had completely collapsed.
He said, “Security situation in Northern Nigeria has assumed a worrisome situation. Few weeks ago, over 76 persons were killed in a community in Sokoto in a day. I was there with the governor to commiserate with the affected community.
“Unfortunately, you don’t hear these stories in the media because it’s in the North. We have accepted the fact that the North does not have strong media to report the atrocities of these bandits.
“People think North is safe but that assumption is not true. In fact, it’s the worst place to be in this country because bandits go around in the villages, households and markets with their AK 47 and nobody is challenging them.
“They stop at the market, buy things, pay and collect change, with their weapons openly displayed. These are facts I know because I am at the centre of it.
“I am not only a traditional ruler, I am also a religious leader. So, I am in a better place to tell the story. I can speak for the North in this regard because I am fully aware of the security challenges there. We have to sincerely and seriously find solutions to the problem, otherwise, we will find ourselves soon, in a situation where we would lose sleep because of insecurity.”
President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and co-Chairman of NIREC, Dr. Samson Ayokunle, in his own comments, thanked God for saving the nation from the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to other country.
He urged the government to be proactive in dealing with problems.
The cleric also called on the federal government, to as a matter of urgency reverse the recent hike in the price of electricity and fuel saying the decision has added to the pains of Nigerians.
He said, “The development that led to #EndSARS protest was quite unfortunate, and one of that development is police brutality which ought to be addressed before now.
“We have never witnessed such a mass action in Nigeria before. People were frustrated and because those in power didn’t respond appropriately until it degenerated to that level.
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“But attributing the actions of the angry youths to a particular religion or ethnic group is insincere and unsafe. No religious group was exempted from the effect of the protest. The action was a spontaneous action that cannot be attributed to any religion or ethnic group.”
The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Ignatius Kaigama, called for a change of attitude and conversation of hearts among the people.
He stressed the need for “an objective appraisal of the religious or ethnic indoctrination we perhaps were subjected to in schools or at home,” adding that “If we are only propelled by religious interests that exclude others we shall always remain in chaos and darkness.”
According to the bishop, Christians and Muslims must avoid imposing their religious views on others or denying them public amenities, jobs or influential positions because they don’t belong to their faith.
He said further: “Merit, not the vigour of our religious piety or affiliation should determine all we do or get in this country. We should not unjustly or corruptly deprive others of their rights, not to talk of wounding or killing anyone for economic or partisan political interests or because of blind religious zeal.
“It is preposterous that Nigerians clamouring for their rights and privileges from government would turn their anger on religious institutions by attacking Churches and Mosques, instigating Christians and Muslims to turn against one another or to destroy public amenities and infrastructure.
“We understand that the budget for national and state security is huge. Let us not deceive ourselves that the bigger the budget the more peace will flow. Weapons don’t bring peace.”
