Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has said that the insecurity situation in the state is getting out of hand.
He said his government had done all the military required, including providing up to 500 vehicles but attacks by bandits were escalating.
According to the governor, the bandits chased out of Zamfara had drifted to Sokoto with the military not making plans to tame them.
Tambuwal made the claim on Friday when a delegation sent by President Muhammadu Buhari to condole the state on the roasting of 23 passengers by bandits visited.
Governor Aminu Tambuwal has blamed the military for the increased insecurity witnessed in Sokoto state.
On the team were Babagana Monguno, national security adviser; Yusuf Bichi; director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), Usman Alkali Baba, inspector-general of police; and Samuel Adebayo, chief of defence intelligence.
The Governor maintained that Operation Hadarin Daji, the precursor of the escalation of tension and crisis in Sokoto state, was carried out without any blocking force around the neighbouring states, particularly Sokoto state.
Tambuwal said, “Operation Hadarin Daji, the precursor of the escalation of tension and crisis in Sokoto state was carried out without any blocking force around the neighbouring states, particularly Sokoto state.
“Also, the timing of the operation, whereby, unfortunately, our security agents do not have enough equipment to move and curtail and contain those that would pander towards Sokoto state didn’t help the timing as well. So, the timing and the way the operation was carried out left Sokoto very vulnerable.
“It does appear as if those bandits pursued from Zamfara state have relocated to Sokoto state. This is a very serious call for concern.
ALSO READ: Gumi on visits to bandits: I won’t expose my life to danger again
“There is a need for more boots on the ground. I am familiar with the situation at the center, but I believe that something can be done, and, that should be done urgently and expeditiously because our situation is getting out of hand.
“Here in Sokoto state, you can verify this from the heads of security agencies, there is nothing they have asked of us that we have not done. Absolutely nothing.
“Since the commencement of this administration, we have given security personnel in Sokoto state not less than 500 vehicles. We are also doing whatever it takes in terms of funding from our own end despite the lean resources that we have as a state.”
Responding, Monguno said Buhari symoathised with the people, while he had also tasked the security agencies to be resolute.
He said, “We are in Sokoto on a specific mission instructed by President Buhari, to condole you and the very good people of Sokoto State as well as the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, over the unfortunate incidents that have been occurring over the last couple of weeks.
“Mr President is conveying his profound condolence over the loss of all the citizens who have departed.
“He also wants us to express his deep sympathy as well as his determination that the perpetrators of this gruesome, wicked activities are apprehended and brought to book.
“He has charged to make sure that all the relevant agencies do not rest until we are able to flush out the perpetrators of not just these last two incidents that occurred, but also previous incidents.”
