‘We need to come together against banditry, terrorism’ — Sultan urges northerners

Following the activities of criminals and the prevailing insecurity across the North, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar II, on Wednesday called on all northern stakeholders to close ranks against banditry and kidnapping, saying that security is a collective responsibility.

The Sultan spoke during the 19th Northern Traditional Rulers and Governors’ Meeting in Kaduna, adding that the region could only overcome insecurity through unity and collaboration among governments, security agencies, traditional institutions and citizens.

“Security is everybody’s responsibility. It’s not just for security agencies alone, or the governors alone, or traditional rulers alone. It’s everybody’s responsibility. We need to really come together and fight this menace of terrorism, abduction and whatever it is to the best of our ability,” he said.

The Sultan described the inauguration of the Board of Trustees to drive the North’s security intervention as a significant step towards finding lasting solutions to the region’s security challenges. He noted that the board, made up of respected personalities from across the 19 northern states, would bring a practical approach to addressing insecurity.

He said the traditional institution would give the committee its full backing, assuring members that they could always rely on the support and local knowledge of traditional rulers, even as he stressed that the fight against insecurity must transcend religious and ethnic differences.

According to him, unity remained the North’s greatest strength, adding, “this is a source of unity for us. It comes from all the 19 northern states to serve in one body. We believe once you are united, you will be more focused. Unity is the most important thing.”

He recalled that northern traditional rulers had consistently warned against violent extremism, noting that the council had submitted recommendations on tackling insecurity to the Northern Governors Forum as far back as 2014.

The Sultan urged governors to provide sustained funding for the new security initiative, saying no meaningful intervention could succeed without adequate resources.