Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has blamed the Nigerian military for the influx and heightened attacks of bandit terrorists in the northwest state.
Speaking to a high-powered delegation from President Muhammadu Buhari, Tambuwal claimed that bandits attacking and killing people in his state are those dislodged from Zamfara by the military.
According to the Sokoto governor, the rise in attacks is due to the Operation Hadarin Daji, a military exercise in Zamfara.
While lamenting the lack of equipment for the military, Tambuwal stated that there is a need for more personnel to be deployed to the state.
He said: “Operation Hadarin Daji, the precursor of the escalation of tension and crisis in Sokoto state was carried out without any blocking force around the neighbouring states, particularly Sokoto state.
“Also, the timing of the operation, whereby, unfortunately, our security agents do not have enough equipment to move and curtail and contain those that would pander towards Sokoto state didn’t help the timing as well. So, the timing and the way the operation was carried out left Sokoto very vulnerable.
“It does appear as if those bandits pursued from Zamfara state have relocated to Sokoto state. This is a very serious call for concern.
“There is a need for more boots on the ground. I am familiar with the situation at the center, but I believe that something can be done, and, that should be done urgently and expeditiously because our situation is getting out of hand.”
This article was originally published on Naija News