President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met with Governors of Sokoto (Aminu Tambuwal) and Kaduna (Nasir El-Rufai) States at the Presidential Villa, Abuja over the prevailing banditry violence in Northwest region of Nigeria.
Governor Tambuwal told journalists at the end of the meeting with President Buhari that he was in the Presidential Villa to update the President on the security situation in Sokoto State.
About 74 persons were killed on Wednesday by bandits in the Sokoto State.
Reviewing the meeting, Tambuwal said that he also demanded from the President more military intervention to check the activities of bandits in the State.
The Governor disclosed that he solicited for logistics and support for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the State.
“I requested to see the President yesterday (Thursday) and he granted me audience today. I have seen him, briefed him on the security situation in Sokoto State in particular; the security situation in Sokoto Eastern Senatorial District and of very special concern, Sabon Birni Local Government Area of the State.
“Apart from the previous attacks, only two days ago through banditry attacks we lost about 74 people in a very heinous and dastardly act of aggression from the bandits. I have briefed Mr President on the general situation and the need for support that we require. When I said `we’ in this case I meant the security personnel that are there in Sokoto working day and night in synergy with each other to ensure that they maintain peace and order in the State.”
Tambuwal expressed satisfaction with the President’s response so far in addressing the menace of bandits in the State.
He revealed that Governors of the Northwestern States including Niger state (North Central) had agreed to jointly address the problem of insecurity in the region.
President Buhari had earlier today met behind closed doors with Gov. Nasiru el-Rufa’I of Kaduna State at the Presidential Villa, Abuja
Sokoto had its own banditry violence as the bandits on Wednesday attacked five villages in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of the State.
A resident of Sabon Birni, Mr Lawal Kakale-Gobir, said the incident lasted for hours as hundreds of bandits riding motorcycles raided the place.
Kakale-Gobir said after the bandits left, some residents took a walk round the affected villages and recovered 74 corpses.
“Twenty-five of the bodies were recovered in Garki village, 13 in Dan’Adua, 25 in Kuzari, six in Katuma and five in Masawa village.”