Sokoto Killings: Atiku Calls For Security Agents/Community Collaboration Against Bandit Terrorists

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has commiserated with the affected families and the people and government of Sokoto State.

Naija News reports that the former PDP presidential candidate was reacting to the arson attack on unsuspecting victims travelling along the Gidan Bawa-Sokoto axis of the State, on Wednesday the 7th of December 2021.

In a statement by his media office in Abuja on Thursday,  Atiku expressed regrets over the loss of lives of innocent persons in such a cruel and gruesome manner by suspected bandits.

According to the politician, these killings have become too frequent in recent times and calls for concern.

“We cannot, as a people, continue to live our lives in apprehension for fear of losing our loved ones whenever they embark on a trip. It shouldn’t be”, Atiku said.

While acknowledging the concerted efforts of security agencies to rid communities of criminal elements, the Waziri of Adamawa stressed the need for special attention to be accorded the North-West zone.

“As a people, we shouldn’t have to be mourning our loved ones murdered in a manner that is highly provocative, when we are not in a war situation“, he said.

Atiku noted that in an asymmetric war scenario where the enemy is faceless, boots on ground and air strikes, cannot be the defining strategy in defeating these criminal elements in their devilish activities.

According to the former Vice President, routing these misguided criminal elements out of communities should include a scaled up intelligence gathering, and community volunteering or participation.

Atiku Abubakar stressed that community participation in the fight against banditry and kidnapping, by way of having the security agencies collaborate with local vigilantes and community leaders for information gathering is a better means of getting ahead of these criminals to avert harm to anyone or group of persons.

He condoled with the affected families and the government and people of the state over the unfortunate incident.