Olaseinde Gbenga, Abuja
A former Governor of Zamfara state, Sani Yerima has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the issue of bandits terrorising Nigeria.
Yerima made this call in an interview with BBC Hausa on Saturday where he asked Mr President to hold dialogue with bandits as late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua dialogued with Niger Delta militants.
Recall that the first 12 days of the new administration of President Bola Tinubu were ravaged with the old problem of insecurity, with no less than 170 Nigerians killed in various attacks and more than 160 kidnapped.
On June 3, at Janbako and Sakida villages of Marudun Local Government Area, armed men suspected to be bandits slain over 31 villagers, and not less than 50 people died in Sokoto, 49 in Zamfara, 40 in Benue, 17 in Rivers, six in Kastina, three in plateau, while Oyo, Ogun, Ondo and Lagos recorded one death each.
Concerns are raised about the new administration as the biggest expectation of Nigerians is the assurance of safety and security of the citizenry.
Following the recent killings, President Bola Tinubu has sacked the Chief of Defence Staff, all the nation’s Service Chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, and Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service.
The President consequently appointed Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser; Maj. Gen. C.G Musa, Chief of Defence Staff; Maj. Gen. T. A Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admirral E. A Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff; AVM H.B Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff, DIG Kayode Egbetokun, Acting Inspector-General of Police and Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye as Chief of Defence Intelligence.
According to the former Governor, “I’m advising the government to, first of all, find time to sit with these bandits, just like they sat with Niger Delta militants in the past. Because a majority of them are Nigerians, even though there are some foreigners among them.
“I firmly believe that Nigerian security agencies, with adequate support, possess the capability to handle the security situation in the country.
”Nigerians among them can be convinced, as the Niger Delta militants were convinced and empowered to stop. If that fails, then the government can use force on them wherever they are.”
Yerima noted ignorance and poverty as the driving factors behind people resorting to banditry, adding that only illiterate individuals would take up arms and kill innocent people.
According to him, “Political leaders, who, instead of addressing people’s problem, choose to embezzle billions from Public coffers for own benefits have increased the poverty level in the country.”
However, the former Governor assured Nigerians that positive changes would emerge, appealing to Nigerians to exercise patience with the President Bola Tinubu-led government.