Northern Nigeria under siege, people now buy anti-bullet charms for protection – Senator Shehu Sani
The Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani, has blamed northern political leaders for the worsening situation and calamity befalling the region.
He lamented that as a result of their lukewarm attitude towards addressing the issues bedevilled the area, social vices have become the order of day.
Speaking when delegations from Brinin Gwari and Chikun Local Government Areas in Kaduna State as well as delegation of Zamfara State citizens resident in Kaduna paid him a courtesy visit in his residence in Kaduna on Tuesday, Senator Shehu Sani said, "Today, the entire northern Nigeria is under siege. In the northwest, it is the armed bandits, in the north central, it is experiencing guardsmen attacks and the northeast is ravaged by insurgents.
"In Kajuru, it is religious, while in Brinin Gwari, it is bandits and kidnapping, and along Kaduna-Abuja Highway, it is kidnapping and rapping.
"I have been visiting you regularly and this time, you are in my residence. I have listened to your lamentations, l have seen your tears, cries and appeals. I believe any conscious Nigerian is aware of what you are facing in your areas."
He said one of the problems the northern Nigeria was facing is sycophancy, which is now making the area bleeding in insecurity.
"We have no Jonathan or Obasanjo to blame for the insecurity in the north," he said.
Sani, who frowned at the level of insecurity in the region, said the residents must rise to question and challenge those in the position of authority to do what is right.
"Kidnapping is what we used to hear from far distance in the Niger Delta and South Eastern part of the country in the last fifteen to twenty years.
"When people are facing this kind of danger and tragedy, they must deal with it squarely to be able to face the situation and question those that we have elected into position of authority.
"The situation in Birnin Gwari is one that reflects the tragedy and danger that we are facing in the northern part of the country today. Birnin Gwari, Chikun, Kajuru, Southern Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Niger and some parts of Sokoto State are under siege."
While speaking in empathy, Senator Sani said the situation in the north has forced many people to resorting into buying of anti-bullet charms for protection.
He said the insecurity in Kaduna is as a result of the governor and government not admitting the real security challenges the state is facing.
Earlier, the leader of Coalition of Birnin Gwari Associations, Nasir Khalid in a letter presented to the senator, said the several communities are under attack of armed bandits from the eve of the general elections to date.
He said forty drivers were killed in the last three months and several communities ransacked.
He noted that the federal and state governments have to urgently do something to be able to address the situation.