The Secretary to Sokoto State Government, Prof. Bashir Garba, on Wednesday appealed to the Federal Government to extend its security intervention in Zamfara State to Sokoto State.

Garba made the plea in an interview with newsmen in Sokoto, saying bandits fleeing Zamfara were now terrorising residents in some local government areas in Sokoto State sharing borders with Zamfara.

He said security measures taken in Zamfara and other states had forced bandits to move, stressing that cases of armed robbery, kidnapping and animal rustling had now become more worrisome in Sokoto State.

The secretary listed the affected councils in Sokoto to include Tureta, Sabon Birni, Isa, Kebbe and Gada.

He said that the state government had constituted a security taskforce tagged “Operation Harmony” to combat the growing security threat.

Garba, however, said that in view of the resources needed and magnitude of the challenges, the Federal Government needed to extend the intervention to Sokoto State.

Garba advised the Federal Government to always consider the peculiar needs of each state in offering right interventions.

He said the bad terrains in the state would not allow cars and other articulated vehicles given to security operatives to access the troubled areas.

Garba said government should consider giving troops motorcycles and other animals used by bandits and train them on their efficient use.

He said the Sokoto State Government had participated fully in the Northern governors’ support initiatives on security.

Garba said that the state Amnesty initiative in Isa Local Government in the last two years was successful, but the displacement of bandits in other states had led to resurgence of security threat in the state.

– Sept. 26, 2018 @ 14:15 GMT |