The Minister of Defence, Bello Matawalle, has called on the residents of Sokoto State to report any unemployed individuals living lavishly to security agencies, as these individuals could potentially be informants for the bandits terrorizing the region.
Matawalle made this appeal during a meeting with stakeholders at the Sokoto State Governor’s office. He emphasized that such individuals, if investigated, might have ties to the criminal activities causing unrest in the area.
The Defence Minister, accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa, visited Sokoto under the directive of President Bola Tinubu. Matawalle underscored the critical role of community involvement in the fight against banditry in Northern Nigeria.
He urged Sokoto residents to actively cooperate with security forces by sharing crucial information that could assist in addressing the growing insecurity in the state. He pointed out that the success of security operations largely depends on the intelligence provided by local communities.
Matawalle stated, “Like what we did while I was the governor of Zamfara State, let me call on the people of Sokoto State to always give information to the security agents. If you see someone who is not doing any work and such a person is changing cars, spending money lavishly, please do not hesitate to report such a person, as such a person is liable to be an informant to bandits.”
He further assured the public of the government’s commitment to eradicating criminal elements, saying, “We are here to crush the bad elements in our midst, and by the special grace of God, we are crushing the bad elements among us. We have also employed 200 persons from each of the 23 local governments into the service of Sokoto Community Guard Corps to complement the work of the security team in the state.”
Matawalle also noted the sensitive nature of security matters, stating, “As you are aware, the issue of security is not for public consumption, so Your Excellency, we are doing a lot. I am sure with your coming today, the people of the state will sleep with their two eyes closed, knowing that you are a man of your word.”
