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Be decisive with insecurity, Sultan, Ayokunle, others charge Buhari

By Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Nkechi Onyedika-Ugoeze (Abuja) and Saxone Akhaine (Kaduna)
27 August 2021   |   4:19 am
Sultan of Sokoto and President of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, yesterday, deplored pervasive insecurity in the country, urging the Federal Government to be decisive.

Ekiti State Governor/Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi (left); Sultan of Sokoto/co-chairman, Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar; Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. ((Dr.) Samson Ayokunle and Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, during the third quarterly meeting of the inter-faith body in Abuja…yesterday.

• Northern Christian elders urge President to seek foreign help
• Ndume wants Nigerian leader to be outspoken

Sultan of Sokoto and President of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, yesterday, deplored pervasive insecurity in the country, urging the Federal Government to be decisive.

Noting that dialogue remained the best solution to the problem, he insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari must lead, otherwise, the country would be groping in the dark.

The Sultan warned that the most black populous nation must learn some lessons from the Afghanistan scenario by localising solutions. Addressing the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) meeting in Abuja, Abubabakar, who co-chairs the body, observed that tempers are high, charging the current administration to rise to the occasion by urgently arresting and prosecuting masterminds of banditry and terrorism.

He said: “We are all worried about the high level of insecurity in the country. Things are not getting better. It has got to the point where we are hearing of unknown gunmen. How can they be unknown? Where are our intelligence agencies? Is it we don’t have a proactive intelligence agency that will see ahead of anybody or any criminal that is trying to do something? I am a military man and I know what I am talking about.

“We must be serious in stopping this carnage. I am making these comments with all seriousness because we are so disturbed the way things are going. It is important for religious leaders to speak the truth to one another. We need to talk to one another.”

ALSO speaking, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and co-chair, Rev. (Dr.) Samson Ayokunle, regretted that hoodlums now operate unhindered nationwide.

His words: “The insult the bandits did to the Army was not only a wakeup call to them, but a good development for us because the military and all those at the so-called safe haven now know that they are not safe at all. It is now compulsory for them to take the battle to where these criminals are. They need to boost their intelligence gathering and be more proactive in apprehending the criminals before they commit their evil act. Any sincere Nigerian at this stage should be worried about the state we are in our nation. It is extremely frightening.”

Cautioning government against pardoning ‘repented’ terrorists, the CAN leader urged religious leaders to moderate their utterances.On his part, Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said the current situation required collaboration and cooperation of all.

IN Kaduna, the Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF) has advised the President to immediately seek foreign help in ending the menace.
In a statement yesterday by its chairman, Ejoga Oyinehi Inalegwu, the organisation also asked government to immediately facilitate modernisation of agriculture by encouraging ranching as against open grazing.

ALSO yesterday, former Senate Majority Leader, Ali Ndume, lamented that the “President is not talking to Nigerians on the worsening security situation in the country.” In a chat with reporters in Abuja, the senator argued that “the usual statements from his (President) media aides are not the solution.”

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