Bandits have struck the people of Gobir in Sokoto State again, this time, kidnapping over 150 individuals from the community.
This is coming as the people are still morning the murder of their Emir, Alhaji Isa Muhammad Bawa, who was killed by the terrorists last week.
This grim development was revealed by University Don Prof. Bello Bada in an interview with Radio France International’s Hausa Service.
Prof. Bada described the situation as dire, attributing the bandits’ audacious actions to systemic failures.
“The bandits had the effrontery to even threaten to kidnap Former President Buhari when he was in power,” Bada claimed.
“This is not the first time a prominent monarch was attacked, but this is the first time a prominent monarch was murdered.”
He condemned the murder of the Emir of Gobir as a national humiliation, urging Nigerians to reconsider their approach to combating banditry.
“The bandits had made a similar attempt on the life of the Emir of Potiskum while he was on the way to Zaria but he narrowly escaped,” Bada said.
“The Emir of Kauran Namoda escaped death by whiskers, but members of his entourage were killed by the bandits.”
The professor criticized the recurrent nature of these attacks, noting that such heinous acts are often forgotten until the bandits strike again.
“In the Zuru community, a monarch was slaughtered by these bandits, but after some few days, these heinous acts would be completely forgotten as if nothing ever happened,” he added.
Security analyst Dr. Yahuza Getso also weighed in, calling for accountability for security operatives who failed to protect the late Emir during his three weeks in captivity.
“There is palpable tension in Gobir community after the gruesome murder of the Emir,” Getso said.
He noted that the bandits’ activities have deepened divisions among the local Gobirawa, Hausa, and Fulani communities.
Getso further claimed that the leaders and supporters of these bandits are well-known, yet action against them remains inadequate.
“We all have agreed that the security operatives have the expertise to face this problem head-on and bring it to an end. It appears the political leaders are not giving them the support they need to overcome this menace,” he alleged.
The attack underscores the urgent need for a coordinated response to address the escalating banditry crisis in the region.