Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State on Monday visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja. The governor demanded the President to declare state of emergency in the states ravaged by bandits and other violent non-state actors that have occupied large space in the country. Governor Tambuwal requested President Buhari to declare state of emergency in volatile states in the northwest, which include Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger and Kebbi; Tambuwal noting that pursuant to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and to further give effect to the process of proclaiming bandits as terrorists by the President, requested President Buhari to ‘declare a full scale state of emergency in all areas where criminals, so determined, are domiciled.”
Governor Tambuwal stated that such emergency would empower the Armed Forces of the country to carry out full operations without hindrance in all the troubled zones covered by the declaration of stater of emergency.
Tambuwal stated that once conceived and ready for execution, the operations “should be carried out simultaneously in the states where the terrorists have strongholds, such as, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger and Kebbi; as well as elsewhere, where the criminals have hideouts.”
The Sokoto Governor urged President Buhari to consider the deployment of more manpower to all troubled areas; stating the imperatives of procuring sophisticated equipment, particularly, modern technology – adopted across the world in deploying drones to combat violent crimes.
Governor Tambuwal further enjoined President Buhari that in view of the security situation in the Sahel, which has escalated tension in the sub-region, there is need to request the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to seek extensive cooperation with the United Kingdom, France, and the United States of America on security issues.
The meeting lasted about 30 minutes.