Former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, says the north must put its house in order to end insecurity.
Lamido stated this during an interview with Premier Radio, Kano.
The chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) attributed the rising insecurity to poor leadership and collapse of moral upbringing in the region.
At least 70 local government areas across six states in northern Nigeria faced bandit attacks between 2024 and 2025, with over 4,700 people affected.
But during the interview, the former minister argued that establishment of state police could help tackle insecurity more effectively in the region, but emphasized adequate training and discipline must be prioritized.
He said, “Where are Boko Haram members and bandits coming from? They are our children from the North, they were not thrown from the sky, they are among us, and today they seem stronger than us because of moral decay, the fault is ours, and we must fix it, starting from the foundation and proper upbringing at home.”
Lamido added that parents, political and religious leaders from the region must set aside their political and sectarian differences to confront the insecurity challenge.
“Someone will say Izala, another Qadiriyya, someone else this and that. This one says APC; another says PDP. We are busy talking politics, while this menace continues to confront us.
“There is nowhere in the world where what is happening in Nigeria is acceptable. Of course wars are being fought in different places. But there is always a reason behind them, whether to defend religion, or country. Here, however, the bloodshed defies every description. There is absolutely no justification for it.
“This has been happening for almost ten years. A human being, whether a Muslim or your neighbour, has become a commodity for transaction. We are at a critical juncture in the North. We must wake up and do something substantial to address the issue or face the consequences. Today political activities have overshadowed everything in the North. Politics on what? Politics in a land plagued by madmen, kidnappers or bandits? What is the essence of power? You are governor in Katsina, Sokoto or Zamfara, yet criminals have taken over your people.. Where is the power? In diplomacy, if you cannot protect your people, whoever controls them has become their leader. The rogue simply becomes the governor.
“If it were an Igbo man or Yoruba man or a Christian, we could perhaps argue differently. But this madness is happening among us. Such lawlessness is hardly imageable anywhere in the world. Someone can invade your home, rape your wife and abduct you, only to regain freedom after paying ransom. We have drifted far from the natural order of humanity as ordained by God.
“Look at our children. During political campaigns, they came out carrying sticks and all kinds of weapons. Is this how it is done in Ghana, Niger Republic or England?”
According to Lamido, People from the region must tell themselves the truth to overcome the challenges.
