Sokoto district head’s murder worsening people’s trust in security agencies –ACF, NEF

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) have condemned the brutal killing of Alhaji Isa Mohammed Bawa, the Sarkin Gobir of Sabon Birni in Sokoto State, by bandits.

The traditional ruler was abducted alongside his son on August 18 and later murdered despite ransom demands.

The bodies in their separate statements signed by Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the ACF Secretary-General and Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, NEF Director of Publicity and Advocacy, urged for a thorough investigation and a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s national security architecture to combat banditry and terrorism.

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ACF extended heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and associates of the deceased, as well as the Sokoto State Government and the Sokoto Sultanate Council.

It called for calm and urged the government, security agencies, traditional rulers, and leaders of thought to collaborate and prevent further breakdown of law and order.

ACF emphasized the need for swift and effective action to restore peace and trust in the government’s ability to protect its citizens saying, “The murder of the traditional ruler has raised concerns about the escalating violence and insecurity in the north, with many calling for a more effective approach to combating banditry and terrorism.”

Similarly, NEF described the assassination of the Emir of Gobir as an attack on cultural heritage, a disregard for customary authority, and a grim reminder of the rampant insecurity that has plagued much of Northern Nigeria.

“This act is both heinous and merciless, as well as an affront not only to the reverence traditionally afforded to emirs but also to the very values that underpin the social fabric of the region. For us in Northern Nigeria, traditional rulers symbolize stability, guidance, and communal identity.

“Their abduction and brutal killing thus send shockwaves through society, unsettling the already fragile trust between the people and the institutions meant to protect them,” he added.

He noted that the tragedy called for a comprehensive reevaluation of the security architecture in Northern Nigeria adding, “The perpetrators of this act must not go unpunished.”