Former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda has said that no one can be sure of where the rising number of kidnappers and bandits are coming from now, with their infiltration of the Southern parts of the country.
“In the Northwest, for instance, we are witnessing a lot of challenges when it comes to banditry and you may not know where the bandits are coming from. It cannot fully be a local problem; it could be an international problem, probably migration from somewhere.
“Criminal elements from all other parts of Africa could have assembled and said ‘look, let us go to a richer country like Nigeria and ravage them and seize everything that they have. It could be crossover and they may have some local converts who would like to go their own way.”
Former Governor, who spoke to news men today, July 16 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, shortly after an audience with President Muhammadu Buhari, insisted however that insecurity in Nigeria did not start with the Buhari-led administration, and that Boko Haram started in Bauchi “but was contained by the Grace of God.”
He commended the Federal Government for substantially defeating Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, even as he expressed optimism that the security problem confronting the country would soon be surmounted.
“So, it is not a new thing but life is dynamic; there is no problem that cannot be managed; you can’t have a country without leadership.
“So, as long as the people are willing and he (the president) too has the vision to address the problem, I think we are going to win.
“We are praying for the president to surmount all these problems as quickly as possible and we believe that the security team, that is, the police, the army, the air force and the navy are doing their best.
“They should add more prayers and rededicate themselves so that within the shortest possible time, they will be able to rid the country of criminal elements.”
