Sokoto terror attacks: Gobir backs full-scale security offensive, warns informants’ of consequences
Sokoto terror attacks: Gobir backs full-scale security offensive, warns informants’ of consequences 
From Bashir Rabe Mani in Sokoto
Former Senator and member of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Engineer Abdullahi Ibrahim Gobir, popularly known as Sardaunan Gobir, has thrown his full weight behind the renewed military and security offensive against terrorists, bandits and other criminal networks operating in Sokoto East and other vulnerable parts of Sokoto State.
Gobir, in a strongly worded statement, described the persistent attacks on rural communities as an unacceptable assault on human lives, livelihoods, agriculture and the socio economic foundation of the state, insisting that the escalating security challenge must be met with sustained, coordinated and intelligence driven operations.
He said the renewed offensive by the Nigerian Army and other security agencies represented a critical opportunity to dismantle criminal networks that have subjected innocent citizens to killings, abductions, displacement and destruction of property.
According to him, “The people of Sokoto have endured enough. Terrorists and bandits must not be allowed to dictate the future of our communities or hold innocent citizens hostage through fear and violence.”
The former senator specifically commended the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Community Guards Corps for intensifying operations aimed at flushing criminal elements out of their strongholds.
He noted that the deployment of additional personnel and heavy military equipment to vulnerable areas demonstrated a renewed determination by the authorities to reclaim territories where terrorists and bandits had operated with increasing audacity.
Gobir expressed confidence that sustained pressure from security forces would eventually break the operational capacity of the criminal gangs and restore confidence among residents of Sabon Birni, Isa and neighbouring communities that have suffered prolonged insecurity.
He, however, cautioned that military strength alone could not completely resolve the security crisis, stressing that “intelligence is the eyes of every successful security operation, and communities must become the eyes and ears of our security agencies.”
He therefore urged residents to immediately provide credible and actionable information about suspicious movements, criminal activities, hideouts and other developments that could assist security agencies in preventing attacks and dismantling terrorist networks.
Gobir issued a stern warning against harbouring, shielding, financing or sympathizing with criminals, stressing that any individual who deliberately provides sanctuary or logistical support to terrorists and bandits is contributing directly to the suffering of innocent citizens.
He was particularly critical of alleged informants who leak information on the movements and deployment of security personnel to criminal gangs, describing such actions as “a dangerous betrayal that can cost the lives of brave security personnel and expose entire communities to devastating attacks.”
The former senator called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, community heads, youth organisations and other influential stakeholders to intensify cooperation with security agencies and establish stronger community-based intelligence networks.
He maintained that effective collaboration between communities and security forces would make it increasingly difficult for terrorists and bandits to infiltrate settlements, recruit accomplices, obtain supplies or escape after committing crimes.
Gobir further appealed to residents of the affected communities to remain calm, vigilant and resilient, assuring them that the restoration of lasting peace would enable farmers, traders and other residents to return to their normal economic activities without the constant fear of attacks or abduction.
He stressed that the protection of lives and property was not merely a security responsibility but a fundamental prerequisite for economic development, warning that “there can be no meaningful development where people are forced to abandon their farms, markets and homes because of fear.”
The former lawmaker consequently called for an uncompromising and sustained campaign against terrorism and banditry across Sokoto State, urging the people of Sokoto East to unite behind legitimate security efforts and deny criminal elements the local support they require to survive.
He expressed optimism that the combination of sustained military pressure, superior intelligence, community cooperation and coordinated action among security agencies would mark a decisive turning point in the fight against terrorism and banditry, stressing that the ultimate objective must be the restoration of durable peace, security and normalcy across Sokoto State.
