The former Governor of Sokoto State Attahiru Bafarawa expressed concern that the President does not bother about people around Sokoto-Kebbi and Zamfara.
Bafarawa stated this in a special interview with the BBC Hausa service on Saturday and carefully monitored by this medium.
Bafarawa said Isa, Sabon Birni, Goronyo and Shinkafi are under seige noting that only God almighty can rescue the people of the affected areas.
Bafarawa added that people of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara are living in anger and agony considering the way Muhammad Buhari neglected that important section of the country.
When cautioned that issue of security is a collective responsibility of all Bafarawa replied, “I am a former Governor and I know what Allah has imposed on me as a Governor then and because leadership is a responsibility people are not allowed to go on their own and defend themselves government was created to offer them security”.
“All of us then sworn to the holy Quran and promised to protect lives and properties and not that people should go and defend themselves, and we should do everything to fulfilled that commitment”.
He added “of course security shall be seen as a collective responsibility, but the President should take the lead not living people to their destiny”.
On what people should do to compliment the effort of the government in security, Bafarawa said, “citizens would be ready to give their lives in defense of their territories, but the foundation has not been made by the government”.
“The bandits have guns and other weapons while our people do not have and instead government should have contacted the people in the affected areas and chat the way forward.
“Imagine the number of lives lost in Sokoto within the last (4) days, some were shot while others were set ablaze and instead of the President to come to Sokoto and show sympathy with us, he rather went to Lagos for book launching on biography of someone”.
“When he was contesting for the post of President he went from door to door asking for people to vote for him but now that it is time for condolences and sympathy to the people of Sokoto he then sent delegation and chose to go to Lagos for book launching”.
On the way forward, Bafarawa said, President Buhari should reach out to the people just the way he did when he was campaigning so that together they can chat the way forward.
Bafarawa said, “Buhari should remember those days when he regularly came to my house asking for support to become President. He castigated Jonathan that what he was doing about the security of Nigeria then was a child play”.
“He promised when he became president he would address the entire security problem within three months but up to now nothing has changed”.
“Whenever you see Buhari jetting out of Nigeria it is for his medical consideration, and he cares much about his personal health but does not bother about the wellbeing and safety of his people who elected him.
On why people like Bafarawa failed to seat with the President and discuss security concerns facing the country Bafarawa replied,“ who told you we have not looked for him to discuss security issue of Nigeria??, when he was contesting for president he knew the location of my house, and he regularly visited me, but now people like us are not important, I have several booked appointment to see the president no way.
