Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto has come under intense, sustained and apparently orchestrated media attacks that are clearly politically motivated. This follows the unfortunate kidnapping and cold blooded murder of Alhaji Isa Muhammed Bawa, the district head of Gatawa in Sabon Birni local government area of Sokoto state by some callous bandits. Thankfully, his son, who was kidnapped with him while traveling back home from the state capital, has been released after reportedly paying a hefty ransom.
The attack on Governor Sokoto is unwarranted and misdirected, considering that he has been proactive and doing all that is humanly possible in ensuring that the 13 most troubled local government areas around Sokoto state boundary with Zamfara are safe. The inconveniencing reality is that Governor Sokoto, like the other governors, is a glorified chief security officer with absolutely no control over security agencies. So, what did the traducers expect Governor Aliyu Sokoto to have done under the circumstances?
The kidnap and subsequent killing of the district head of Gatawa, who the opposition mischievously refer to as emir of Gobir, is, no doubt, a heinous crime by the blood thirsty terrorists, which all men of conscience must condemn. But to politicise this dastardly act for electoral purposes, especially because of the forthcoming local government elections holding in September, and on that basis claim that the governor has done nothing to ensure the security of his citizens, is a wicked lie and bad politics.
On assumption of office, the governor in reaction to the deteriorating security situation which he inherited from the former governor Aminu Tambuwal inept administration, swiftly established the Sokoto State Community Guard Corps to complement the federal security agencies in safeguarding the terrorised communities. And being indigenes of the areas of their deployment, the corps were specifically charged to help the security agencies in gathering intelligence, a critical part of the war against terrorism.
Recently, five members of the corps paid the supreme price at Balle, in Gudu local government area, as they lost their lives while working hard to safeguard their community. Like Alhaji Isa Muhammed Bawa, these gallant young men were brutally massacred by the terrorists and it is very interesting that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) only found its voice when the district head was killed, while it was in deep slumber when these young men were killed. Why didn’t the PDP deem it fit to offer its condolences to either the families of the fallen heroes or the state government over their unconscionable massacre? Is it probably because they are not known sympathisers of their party or because their doing so would be an acknowledgment of the state government’s efforts in protecting the people? The PDP must know that all lives are sacred.
Rather than spreading its trademark falsehood that the Aliyu Sokoto administration is “doing nothing“, the opposition should join forces with the government to secure the state. The opposition ought to know that the rampaging terrorists have not been known to differentiate between members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP in their activities. The campaign of calumny targeted against Governor Sokoto, in spite of his efforts to defeat the terrorists, would only work to the advantage of the bloodletting criminals.
Amongst security analysts, the consensus is that the terrorists and other criminal elements appear to be winning. And that they terrorise innocent citizens with impunity because of the limited number of boots on the ground, coupled with the fact that the security forces are not well equipped and are lacking in the technology that can make their limited numbers count. Hopefully, the president will soon take the very measures that he has promised, especially the recruitment of more men into the various security agencies. Clearly, the less than 300,000 strong armed forces is overwhelmed and over-stretched by the various crises confronting the country.
No doubt, only a massive recruitment will give the security agencies that needed capability. And apart from increasing the booths on the ground, the recruitment would also reduce unemployment amongst the youths.
It must be stressed that previous military operations in Sokoto and other North-west states during the Tambuwal era woefully failed, because the armed forces lacked the requisite manpower to launch military operations simultaneously in all the troubled states. But if the Tambuwal administration had established the vigilante services, Governor Sokoto would have had something to build on. Unfortunately, the incumbent governor had to start from the scratch.
One may ask, are there other initiatives that Governor Sokoto should take that he has not taken in his bid to take the war to the terrorists within his constitutional authority? What are the implications of not just the Sokoto state government, but other states paying ransom for kidnap victims?
Apart from establishing the community guard corps, the state government has astronomically increased the allowances of the security forces operating in the state and provided the agencies with critical logistics support. It has also equipped the corps with logistics and built office accommodation to help them effectively function. The government has equally embarked on the construction of access roads to known terrorists hideouts in Tureta, Kebbe and Ilela local government areas to ease movement of security forces.
During his recent thank-you tour, Governor Sokoto announced the immediate construction of a military base at Ilela for the armoured corps and access roads to help the security agencies respond promptly to the attacks.
The governor said: “We have provided our corps with all the needed logistics and completed the office accommodation (for them) in our troubled communities. We have equally awarded contract for the construction of a military base and access roads. And we are determined to spend our last kobo for the security of our people”.
Governments worldwide, not just Sokoto state, as a matter of policy, do not pay ransom or negotiate with terrorists, because it would open a pandora box that would never end. Kidnapping is an extraordinarily lucrative business and there have been instances of family members staging the kidnapping of family members all for ransom. Assuming the Sokoto state government agreed to pay the ransom for the kidnapped district head, it would have by the end of the year paid billions in ransom and the flip side is that it would have funded the terrorists’ purchase of arms. Again, like former governor Aminu Masari of Katsina state found out, there is absolutely no guarantee that the kidnappers would keep their part of the bargain after collecting ransom.
Assuming Sokoto state government wanted to pay the ransom, it would have ran foul of the amendment to Nigeria’s Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2013, which expressly forbids states, families and friends of kidnaped victims from paying ransom. The law is to discourage kidnapping and abductions for ransom.
When over 280 pupils and teachers were kidnapped at the Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School at Kuriga, Kaduna state, the federal government reiterated its zero tolerance for the payment of ransom to terrorists for their release. Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation said: “Mr President reiterated his zero tolerance for the payment of ransom and has rather directed the security agencies to ensure that our kids that have been abducted by these criminal gangs are brought back to their homes safely”.
While leaders need constructive criticism to keep them on their toes, and the constitution guarantees everyone the freedom of speech which is sine qua non for a vibrant democracy, it is expected that criticism should be constructive and the freedom of speech exercised responsibly. But when irresponsible politicians sponsor coordinated attacks on the government, as being done by opponents of Governor Sokoto for political purposes, the governor should rightly ignore them and forge ahead with the assignment the people have shouldered him with.
The PDP must come to terms with the fact of their defeat by the APC in the 2023 elections, rather than looking for every opportunity to demonise Governor Sokoto. The PDP cannot pretend not to know that from Sokoto state in North-west, to Niger state in North-central, the story of killings and destruction by terrorists is not any different. And that it’s also the lot of the people of Benue and Plateau states.
What is needed is a concerted effort to defeat the common enemy.
Ado writes from Kaduna.