Armed robbers attack six local government chairmen in Sokoto

Some of the council chairmen had rejected police security details.

Armed robbers are now targeting local government chairmen in Sokoto State, launching spates of attacks on the residences of six of the chairmen, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

NAN investigations revealed that the local government chairmen attacked recently were those of Shagari, Kebbe, Tambuwal, Tureta, Bodinga and Rabah Local Government Councils.

There are 23 Local Governments in the three senatorial zones in Sokoto State: Sokoto Central, Sokoto East and West, and and Sokoto South.

The latest of the attacks was on the Chairman of Rabah Local Government Council, Zayyanu Gandi, who sustained injuries and was discharged from the hospital on September 21.

Mr. Gandi has been receiving treatment at the Uthmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto.

The Sokoto house of Mr. Gandi had earlier been attacked during the last Ramadan fasting in July.

It was also learnt that the Sokoto and Tureta houses of the Tureta Local Government Chairman, Ibrahim Dansarki, were similarly attacked by hoodlums. In some of the raids, the men of the underworld had carted away undisclosed cash and property, with scores of persons injured.

Most of the armed robbery attacks were also not often reported to various police divisions by the affected chairmen.

Investigations revealed that some of the 23 Local Government chairmen were said to have rejected the policemen attached to their various houses.

The Chairman of Bodinga Local Government, Shehu Badau, said there was need for prayers at a time like this.

"We are only praying to God to provide a lasting solution to all the problems affecting Nigeria, including the current security challenges," he said.

Mr. Badau, however, confirmed that he had asked the two policemen attached to his house at his hometown, Badau, to leave due to "some reasons."

"One of them twice attempted to rape one of my female domestic aides and I asked them to leave.
"I had informed the authorities of the state police command about the reasons for my action.

"Only officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) are now operating at my house in Badau, from 6.00a.m to 6.00 p.m. daily," Mr. Badau said.

The spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, El-Mustapha Sani, confirmed the attacks but said that "most of them were not reported to various police divisions.

"The Local Government chairmen were also, hitherto, rejecting our police details but they have now started accepting them back. This is better," he said.

He said the command was ready to ensure the safety of lives and property of residents of the state.

"This is our constitutional duty and we will never renege in doing so, although we need the support of all the strata of the people of the state as usual," Mr. Sani stated.

(NAN)