Desperate Politicians Envious of Tinubu, Aiding Banditry in N’west, Says Group 

Some supporters of President Bola Tinubu in the north have said the incessant banditry in the North-west region could be traced to some “desperate politicians” who are bent on frustrating the administration of the president.

Coming under the aegis of Asiwaju Social Network (ASoN), North-west zone, the group warned those it described as “some highly placed northern leaders who mean no well or those who want to blackmail Asiwaju’s administration” to desist forthwith for the sake of the lives of the people who are on the line.

In a statement signed by Hon. Lukman Hamza and Comrade Aliyu Zuberu, President and Secretary respectively, the group also tasked the security agencies, especially the secret police, to do due diligence to unmask the elements who are fomenting trouble to win cheap political points.

“We must sound this warning and make it abundantly clear that those who are fomenting trouble just to win cheap political points must desist forthwith. Some highly placed northern leaders who mean no well or those who want to blackmail Asiwaju’s administration must take note that it’s people’s lives they are playing with.

“Elections have come and gone and those whom God has placed in positions of authority, we must support them to succeed. And if God placed in position of authority and you are using it to cause troubles and make people lose their lives, all because you want to prove a point or win cheap political points against public office holder, Almighty Allah is watching you and it will soon be the turn of your family members and relatives, if you don’t stop playing politics with people’s lives.

“Nobody stays in political office forever, everything has an expiry date and the people shall he here to remind those who think they’re powerful today, about all their atrocities while fighting cold war with their opponents. Even if you’re currently enjoying immunity now, it will expire and you must account for every evil done under your watch.

“We at Asiwaju Social Network, North-west zone, invite the security agencies, especially the DSS and other intelligent gathering formations, to keep tabs on the happenings in the state and neighbouring states, and let those who think they are powerful, those brains behind the insurgency and banditry be exposed,” the group submitted.

The call is coming on the heels of incessant banditry attacks, especially the kidnap of over 50 women and girls in Zamfara State by bandits last weekend.

The bandits conducted a house-to-house search and abducted mostly women and children in Kakin-Dawa in the Gidan Goga district of Maradun Local Government Area of the state.

Reports had it that the gunmen invaded the community on motorcycles at about 1:30 a.m. and picked residents from house to house, most of whom are married women and girls to unknown destination, despite the presence of local security guards.

A similar attack occurred in September, where the bandits abducted over 40 persons at Janboka, a community in the same Maradun LGA.

Maradun is the hometown of the Minister of State for Defence, Mr. Bello Matawalle, a former governor of the state.