The Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll, has condemned the brutal massacre of over 155 innocent civilians in Plateau State, adding that bandits are always a step ahead of security agencies.
He called on security operatives to be more proactive against the terrorists and other criminal elements.
The Islamic leader in a goodwill message delivered on Wednesday at the 80th National Islamic Vacation Course, which took place at the Air Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi, urged the government and security agencies to be more aggressive in acquiring intelligence since “bandits and terrorists are always one step ahead.”
He said, “We have problems of insecurity. Just a couple of days back, there was this clash in Plateau (State) where over 100 plus lives were lost. Why do we keep on having these clashes, why do we keep on having these deaths caused by ourselves? A couple of weeks back, the Tudun Biri issue (in Kdauna State) is still fresh in our minds, and now the one in Plateau.
“We always condemn such things but after condemning such activities by these bandits and criminals, what are the roles of the governments who are supposed to protect our lives and property?
“Why can’t we be proactive and stop such attacks before they happen? What happened to our intelligence gathering mechanisms. Can anybody tell me that nobody knew that such attacks were coming up?
“In various places, whether it is Sokoto, Birni Kebbi or in Kaduna or anywhere. Have we lost our sense of gathering information to avert any of such heinous crimes? We must ask our governments to up the game because these bandits are always a step ahead.”
Speaking further, Abubakar warned against politicizing the nation’s security issues, noting that doing so was dangerous and the worst course of action.