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….Due to the nonchalant attitude of the Sokoto Governor and his administration
The People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) in Sokoto State is viewing with alarm, the incessant loss of innocent lives and disruption of the socioeconomic survival of citizens, especially in the Eastern part of our dear state due to bandits attacks and kidnappings. These sad incidences that occur almost on daily basis have claimed hundreds of lives and incurred huge losses in livestock, farm produce and other property in many communities in the state.
In a statement Signed by Comrade Muhammadu Bello Aliyu Goronyo,Chairman PDP Sokoto State made available to news men revealed that
The current situation in Isa, Headquarters of Isa Local Government is a case in point of the nonchalant attitude of the Sokoto Governor and his administration to the plight of the citizens that are under the strangle-hold of bandits. As at today, all roads into the town are cut off by the gun men, who have already taken hostage, scores of travelers on those routes. The bandits are also at present, surrounding and laying siege on Isa for close to 48 hours, so far, taking over 20 people hostage in the process.
Regrettably, the Sokoto State Government has failed to make any statement indicating either sympathy and reassurance for the people in the current predicament or readiness to take any action towards their rescue. Ahmed Aliyu is instead, merely preoccupied with punitive postings in the civil service and the scramble within the APC for political appointments.
It is indeed, disheartening that the Sokoto State Government has exhibited a gross lack of concern about these devastating events, even as the people in the affected areas live under terror and fear. The current All Progressives Congress administration of Ahmad Aliyu has however, remained inactive and silent, as the bloodletting of innocent people and the disruption of the lives of communities goes on, without any action before, during or after the fact of these sad events.
As we can recall, the last time the State Governor exhibited any concern for the hapless victims of banditry was during his very brief condolence visit to Tangaza Local Government after the massacre of over 40 people by the gun men in the area two months ago. During the hasty call, Governor Ahmed Aliyu expressed commitments on the situation that have been proved to be lame because he has so far, taken no steps towards matching his words with action on the matter.
While the security agencies in the state are battling to defend the people against the bandits, there has not been any evidence of support for the agencies from the Sokoto State Government. In fact, it is regrettable that after several attacks on a number of communities in the past weeks, neither has Ahmed Aliyu nor his government or the APC deemed it fit to extend even words of comfort, let alone any humanitarian aid to the affected people.
Our party equally finds it dispiriting that none of the serving Sokoto State APC members in the National Assembly deemed it necessary to raise the issue of banditry at their plenaries, especially, more sadly, those representing the most ravaged Sokoto East. In this conspiracy of silence, all levels of the ruling party seem to be unaware of the ongoing carnage on their people.
In the total absence of support for the security agencies in the state and deprivation of succor to victims of banditry and their communities, the appropriation of the Security Vote available to Governor Ahmed Aliyu is a mystery that the APC needs to explain to the people of the state. This is also against the backdrop of the failure of the current administration to pay salaries to a substantial number of civil servants and pension to many retired Permanent Secretaries and DGs for three consecutive months, while being unable to meet up with obligations like the settlement of scholarship fees for the state’s students in institutions of learning at home and abroad.
The sad state of affairs in Sokoto State is the obvious result of the lack of vision, plan and focus on the part of the APC and it’s government. It is evident that the major objective of Ahmed Aliyu, abinitio, as Governor of Sokoto State is to carry out vengeance and malice against imagined political enemies and pull down the achievements of the previous PDP administration, including those affecting security, which is indeed, very regrettable.
