Insecurity: Sultan berates inefficiency, ineffectiveness of Nigeria’s intelligence apparatus

The Sultan of Sokoto, who is also the President General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria (SCIAN), Muhammad Abubakar Sa’ad, berates the intelligence apparatus of the country for not having prior knowledge of the acts of banditry and criminality across the country.

The Sultan was speaking at the closing ceremony of the 80th National Islamic Vocational Course (IVC) held at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi, on Wednesday, organised by the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN).

He said, “But I want us, as Muslims in this country, to close ranks; we have serious issues of insecurity. Just a couple of weeks ago, there was this clash in Plateau; over 100 lives were lost. Why do we keep on having these clashes? Why do we keep on having these deaths by ourselves?

The JNI National President added that, “a couple of weeks ago, the Tudun Biri issue was still fresh with us, now the one on the Plateau. We always condemn such activities, but after condemning such activities by these bandits and criminals, what next? What are the roles of the government, which are supposed to protect our lives and properties? Why can’t they be proactive and stop such atrocities before they happen?”

A furious Sultan asked, What happened to our intelligence-gathering mechanism? You cannot tell me that nobody knew such attacks were going to happen in various places, whether it is in Sokoto, Birnin Kebbi, Kaduna, or anywhere.”

He asked further, “Have we lost our senses of gathering information to avert any such heinous crime? We must ask our government to rise to the occasion because these bandits seem to always be ahead.”

According to him, “For some of us who are opportune to serve in the military, we know the activities of the security agencies, so we keep asking the question, What is really happening?”

He, however, strongly opines that “things are politicised, and that is the worst way to go when you politicise insecurity. We are all in one big country where we have poverty. Yes, Muslims, Christians, and even people who don’t have religion go to the same markets, buy the same foodstuffs, enter the same vehicles, and pay the same fares.”

He stressed that it is not an issue of religion; let’s not tell ourselves anybody is planning anything against anybody as Muslims or Christians; no, it is an issue of leadership, and I have said it so many times; let’s have confidence in the leadership that we have for the next few months that things will change; let’s keep on having hope because the moment you lose hope, I am telling you, we are finished.”

He said, “In my last speech on Independence Day in the National Mosque, I brought up these issues; I don’t want to repeat them, but we have to speak out; we must call on our leaders to rise to the occasion; things are not right, and when things are not right, anything can happen.”

“But as Muslims, we believe in the Almighty Allah, who does what He wants when He wants to do so. So, let’s continue to pray. Let’s continue with our prayers. As we pray, we will put pressure on our leaders to do the right things; let’s not leave our leaders to their problems and faults; we must all take leadership as one opportunity for all of us to be good to one another and let our country be much better,” he enthused.

According to him, the challenges are there; we are not looking back; we are not looking down at it; it is not there; it is there; there are serious problems; and what do we do? We face the challenges; when you face the challenge and that challenge is no more challenging you, then it is behind you.”

The Sultan added I am calling on all of us here to redouble our efforts; we call on all our leaders to fear Almighty Allah, who is going to ask you what you did with your leadership here on earth; I will not be there; all of us will go independently and answer to Almighty Allah; if you do good, alhamdulillahi, so let’s wake up; deep slumber is over; the time to sleep is over; the Muslim Ummah must wake up; you have heard what was said here today; you heard what Imam Tajudeedn said.”

He then said, “I want to stand by what the keynote speaker, Imam Tajudeedn, said; I want to use the word that I stand with everything Imam Tajudeen said in his lecture to us, 100 per cent. Because he told us the truth.”

“And, as Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio said, conscience is an open wound; only truth can heal it. That was what Dan Fodio said over two centuries ago. Imam Tajudeen, thank you very much for telling us, the leaders, and those we are teaching the truth.”

He also said, “I am not too much into the protocol, but I recognise the two leaders here. I want to thank the LOC for a very good job, well done, and an excellent job of putting together and bringing together those numbers of participants—I think the third largest number we have seen in IVC.”

According to him, “Only next to Sokoto because Sokoto is the centre and headquarters, the seat of the Caliphate, of course, the number must be much higher; at the last one, we had over 8000, and Kaduna being the capital of the Northern States, we also had such a high number. Bauchi has given us a higher number than any other state in the North because of the hospitality Bauchi people always accord anyone who comes visiting because this is home. Thank you, Sarkin Yaki and the Governor, for the hospitality.”

According to him, “We are here at the 8th IVC, and at the same time, the IVC is held at the Permanent Camp along the Lagos – Ibadan Motorway. I used to visit the 2 camps in the A and B zones, but unfortunately, I could not visit the B zone IVC this year, and I think I have spent a couple of years without going there.”

“But because of the development in communications, whatever is being said here is broadcast live over there and gets to the ears of other delegates there, so whatever I am saying here, I am sure that it is also meant for the members of MSSN and the B zone at their camp, he added.

The Sultan said, “I think it is important for us to continue to come close and closer; this is one forum I try as much as possible not to miss, because this is where we meet as Ambassadors of Islam in this country, where we see one another, listen to one another, talk to one another, and learn from one another.”

He stressed that we have heard much from the past speakers, and I thank them. The most I want to say here, honestly, has been captured by Imam Tajudeedn. I was telling the Deputy Governor that most of the points I want to talk about have been captured by Imam Tajudeen as the keynote speaker, so I need not repeat them, and as I said earlier, I stand by all he said.”

According to him, “Whether anybody has a fight with you over what you have said, he should also fight with me because these are also my words. The theme for this year is quite apt, and the keynote speaker captured everything because, Where we were, where we are, are we supposed to be here at this time? That is the big question.”

To the participants, he stressed that there have been so many lectures, presentations, and discussions by various participants at various forums in the last few days. “I am very sure that you must have learned a lot. Like the last speaker, the commissioner said, don’t leave the knowledge you have acquired here in your heads alone.

When you go back home, share it with others. We were unable to come here because you must always think positively, but if you think some things are bad, let me tell you, you have not heard them here. Don’t tell anyone if it is not good for you; keep it in your head.”

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