Buhari Failed To End Banditry In 8 Years, Shehu Sani Tells Northerners

Senator, Shehu Sani has challenged northerners criticising the current administration over insecurity to remember that the eight-year administration of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari also failed to end banditry and terrorism in the North.

Sani stated this at a press conference in Abuja where he warned politicians against turning insecurity, ethnicity and religion into weapons for political mobilisation.

The former lawmaker said it was unfair for politicians who had previously occupied positions of authority to present themselves as messiahs capable of solving Nigeria’s security challenges.

He said the North had witnessed devastating attacks, killings, kidnappings, rape, destruction of communities and mass displacement under previous administrations.

According to Sani, Southern Kaduna and parts of central Kaduna were once major theatres of attacks by terrorists and bandits.

He said the situation in some parts of Kaduna State had improved, although the state was not yet completely free from security challenges.

Sani recalled that travelling between Kaduna and Birnin Gwari was previously virtually impossible due to bandit attacks.

“Today, you can travel from Kaduna to Birnin Gwari in the daytime and at night,” he said.

He also recalled the security situation on the Kaduna-Abuja road, saying the route previously witnessed between 10 and 15 kidnapping incidents daily.

According to him, the road is now relatively safer than in the past.

Sani, however, cautioned against presenting the security situation as a religious contest.

He said insecurity affected Nigerians irrespective of their faith or ethnic background and should therefore be confronted collectively.

The former senator also questioned the argument that insecurity was caused by the religious or ethnic identity of those occupying political offices.

He noted that during Buhari’s administration, several key security positions were occupied by Northerners.

He listed the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and the Defence Minister among others.

Sani also mentioned former Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris, former Director-General of the Department of State Services Lawal Daura and other senior security and intelligence officials.

He said, despite the concentration of Northerners in critical security positions, banditry and terrorism remained major challenges across the region.

“If you look at the security architecture under Buhari, many of the people who occupied the key positions were Northerners,” he said.

“Yet, Buhari did not end northern banditry or terrorism in the North-East.”

Sani argued that Nigerians should therefore assess governments based on their performance rather than ethnicity, religion or political affiliation.

He said citizens had the right to challenge any administration over insecurity, economic hardship and other national problems.

“But we should challenge the government based on issues, not based on ethnic or religious sentiments,” he said.

The former senator also criticised politicians promising to restore fuel subsidy, describing such promises as deceptive and economically clueless.

He said politicians should instead focus on practical measures to improve the economy and strengthen domestic production.

Sani maintained that promising to subsidise petroleum products could not replace the need to revive Nigeria’s moribund refineries.

He said politicians should be honest with Nigerians rather than make promises designed to win political support.

The former lawmaker urged politicians to conduct their campaigns with respect and dignity, warning against statements that could pit the country against itself.

“Nigeria is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country,” he said.

He urged political leaders to avoid exploiting ethnic and religious sentiments for electoral advantage.

Sani said Nigerians had suffered enough from insecurity and political division and should not be further divided for the sake of politicians’ interests.

He called on political actors to focus on issues that affect ordinary Nigerians, including security, the economy, employment and access to basic services.

He said politicians who had previously held power should acknowledge their records rather than present themselves as the solution to problems they failed to resolve while in office.