Former Sokoto State Governor and Senator representing Sokoto North Senatorial District, Dr Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, has expressed shock over the gruesome killing of innocent passengers by bandits in Sokoto State.
Wamakko, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, stated that the perpetrators must be brought to book, adding that people should imbibe the teachings of their religions by respecting the santity of human lives.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Hassan Sahabi Sanyinnawal, Wamakko said a situation where hapless citizens who were undertaking a legitimate journey to another part of the country as well as those in their respective villages are been killed mercilessly calls for sober reflection.
Extending his deep condolences to the families of the victims, Wamakko also assured that the security agencies will continue to do everything possible to end the operations of these despicable bandits.
The forner governor also appealed to all and sundry to continue to provide their maximum support and cooperation towards the effort of the government towards bringing the activities of these criminals to an end as soon as possible.
Theideal recalls that the state government through a statement by Governor Aminu Tambuwal’s spokesperson, Muhammad Bello admitted that 23 persons were killed in the incident which occured along Gidan Bawa village in Isa local government area of the state on Monday morning.
The bandits were said to have set a commercial bus onveying dozens of passengers ablaze leading to the dead of the innocent travellers.
Sources had earlier confirmed that the travellers were coming from Sabon Birni local government area of Sokoto East Senatorial district and heading to the Southern part of Nigeria for their usual perennial dry season menial jobs.
Bandits have continued to intensify their hostilities in almost all the eight local government areas of Sokoto East Senatorial district.
The upsurge in banditry attacks in villages and local governments that borders Zamfara State, according to security sources, might be as a result of the successes which the military is attaining in routing them out of their strongholds in neighbouring Zamfara State.
Worried by these continued attack on innocent villagers, some of the locals told our correspondent that they are making efforts to pay a Save Our Souls (SOS) visit to Governor Tambuwal and appeal to him to allow them fortify their local vigilantes that will go after the bandits.
Some of the locals who sought anonymity said, they are also making plans to write an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari on why he should legalize activities of the local vigilante and fuse them with security agencies like the North East Civilian Joint Task Force if his government is truly determined to end the menace of insecurity in the North-West states.
