Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, a former governor of Sokoto State and senator for Sokoto South, has stated his strong support for President Bola Tinubu’s push for the creation of a state police, emphasising that it is an essential step to address the country’s growing insecurity.
In a sobering analysis of the security situation in Sokoto State, especially in his senatorial district, on Friday night during Channels Television’s Politics Today, which was televised in Abuja, Tambuwal painted a dire picture of the state police debate, dismissing worries about potential abuse and stating that Nigeria’s unique challenges necess such an institution.
“I support state police, but I am no longer a governor. Federal police do exist, but part of the issue is that when you send someone from Sokoto to Enugu, he doesn’t know the local language or the topography. In any event, we need more soldiers and police officers on the ground,” he stated.
Tambuwal highlighted that the creation of state police must be accompanied with sufficient hiring, enhanced welfare, and the supply of cutting-edge equipment for security guards.
“We must enlist additional personnel. Their compensation and well-being are also crucial. What happens to the families of servicemen who are killed in the field? He went on to say, “This welfare should extend beyond the personnel alone.”
In light of growing national worries about insecurity, Tambuwal’s stance supports Tinubu’s renewed call for constitutional amendments that would allow states to create their own police forces.
He added that he was not aware of any reports that the federal government or anybody else was paying bandits.
In order to put an end to banditry in Sokoto State, he asked the president for help.
Tambuwal stated that he remained a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and expressed his hope that the PDP and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) would form a coalition to defeat Tinubu, even though he stated that he is fully committed to the legitimate efforts of the anti-Tinubu coalition to stop his reelection.
He asserted that there is a national consensus, not a Northern plot, behind the fight to remove Tinubu in 2027.
According to Tambuwal, if Abubakar Atiku, Peter Obi, Goodluck Jonathan, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso choose to run for president separately rather than jointly, it will be challenging to defeat Tinubu.
When asked if he has ever paid bandits while serving as governor or if he is aware of any officials that do so, Tambuwal gave a negative response.
“I don’t know. I’m not sure. In response to a particular inquiry concerning allegations made by Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, a former governor of Kaduna State, that the Tinubu administration was paying bandits, he stated, “I cannot claim to know that bandits are being paid by anyone.”
His senatorial district has been overrun by bandits, he bemoaned. “They have essentially taken control of both Sokoto East and Sokoto South municipal governments. Things are get worse. Shagari Local Government has been evacuated as I speak to you; the terrorists are in control and the villagers have left. Tureta, Bodinga, and other places are experiencing the same issue,” he bemoaned.
Tambuwal, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, pointed out that the assailants mostly act as bandits, committing murder and kidnapping.
He emphasised the necessity of a simultaneous and coordinated military assault, pointing out that most criminal groups flee Zamfara into Sokoto when security personnel put pressure on them.
