By Dahiru Mohammed
I write on behalf of a group of indigenes of Sokoto state who are in pursuit of greener pastures in other parts of the country – so far away from our home. And I, as all my brothers here cannot ignore the smallest piece of news from my state. I feel happy and proud when good stories out of Sokoto reach me and very sad if I receive news of the slightest challenge that befall my place of origin.
The issues that disturb me most in the past 20 years is the problem of insecurity that is constituted by political violence and banditry in Sokoto. I have been so alarmed by reports of clashes between armed thugs of rival political parties, especially during campaigns and elections. I am devastated by the horrendous blood-letting of my people by bandits that I often slept with one eye open even though my bed is so far from the scene.
There is however some relief from political violence since 2015, which many of us over here, associate with the intolerance for political thugs exhibited by the current Sokoto state governor. He is acclaimed to have banned area boys and any type of weapon to his campaign rallies, since he assumed office.
This is why we, over here are so alarmed by the news of the recent attack on the PDP campaign convoy of governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal by political thugs close to the gate of an APC office in Sokoto. That it occurred so close to the election, causes great concern about the fate of our state during the polls, against the background of the already existing state of insecurity in our state.
The response to the incidence by the APC, through its state chairman, Isa Sadik Achida, leaves a lot to be desired for peaceful politics in Sokoto. We find his statement, to say the least, insensitive recalcitrant, and evasive.
For Achida to accuse the PDP of arranging an attack on themselves by their own supporters is unbecoming of a leader of a party like the APC. Many of us over here, view this posture of the party as an exhibition of support for politics of thuggery and violence.
The APC in Sokoto is fast becoming identified with this adamant attitude. We recall that in 2019, only APC boycotted a meeting of all political parties summoned by the Sultan to discuss violence-free elections, after which they were accused of carrying out several violent attacks on opposition supporters and communities during the elections.
Even a few months ago, the APC gubernatorial candidate, Ahmed Aliyu shunned a violence-free election consultative meeting for flag-bearers of political parties organized in Sokoto, only to appear at a similar forum in far away Abuja. This is to say the least, pretentious and misleading.
I personally have during my visits home, witnessed the convoys of governor Tambuwal and those of APC leader, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko. I have noticed that while the governor’s escort is composed of security agents, the senator is always accompanied by youths, bearing machetes on motorcycles and trucks.
It is so sad that we over here are hearing allegations that certain prominent politicians are filing pressure on security agencies to release the culprits alleged to have attacked Tambuwal’s campaign train. We totally support the governor’s insistence that those responsible for the reprehensible act should be prosecuted, no matter their statuses, and to whichever political party they belong.
On banditry, which was addressed by APC’s Achida in his declaration, we are puzzled by his sharing the blame for the situation to the governor. For the APC chairman to ignore his party’s Federal Government’s failure to discharge its constitutional responsibility of protecting our lives and property in his statement, is crass display of insincerity.
Many of us are aware of the Sokoto state government’s support for security agencies. And unless national media reports and pictures we get on the matter are fake, we are aware of the logistic aid that Tambuwal gives to security agencies’ fight on banditry.
The irony that is generally perceived is the loud silence and conspicuous inaction on the part of Sokoto state indigenes who hold federal positions concerning security. Senator Wamakko is the Senate Committee Chairman on Defence, Maigari Dingyadi is the Minister for Police Affairs, while APC’s gubernatorial candidate, Ahmed Aliyu was the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Police Trust Fund.
We therefore, expect Achida to deploy his effort at persuading these prominent members of his party from our dear state to use their offices to save our people from the ongoing massacre, instead of engaging other people in detractive arguments.
One disturbing issue in our minds is the alleged involvement of Ahmed Aliyu of high graft and corruption during his tenure as NPTF Executive Secretary. We are hoping that he is not actually involved because it will be heartbreaking for the banditry-ravaged people of our state, if our son is found to use an opportunity to only selfishly enrich himself, as his “contribution” to the effort to save our lives.
Lastly, we wish to call on all politicians in Sokoto, our state to eschew violent politics in the interest of the lives and property of our people.
Mohammed, a businessman wrote in from Kaduna
