Sultan cautions against ethnic labeling of bandits, criminals

From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri

Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad, has cautioned Nigerians against ethnic labeling of bandits and criminals, insisting that ascribing criminal activities to a particular tribe would trivialise the country’s security challenge.

Alhaji Sa’ad gave the caution, yesterday, at the 7th Executive Committee Meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council (NTRC) in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

“Whoever is criminal is criminal. Let us not tribalise criminality and let us not trivialise criminality. Whether someone is Fulani, Yoruba or Kanuri, a criminal is a criminal,” he maintained.

He urged Nigerians not to look at some ethnic groups as the bane of the nation’s problem.

The royal father said the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council meeting with the theme “Enhanced security as a panacea for stability and development of the North”, was organised to assess the security situation in the region, and make recommendations to the government. He described security as a global challenge and not peculiar to the North or Nigeria and assured the traditional rulers will continue to support the security agencies.

He described the killings in parts of the country as madness and reckless. He condemned the incidents in Plateau State.

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, highlighted security and peace building, agriculture and youth empowerment as the critical pillars of sustainable development in the northern region.