The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, has condemned the latest killings and mass abductions reported in Rabah Local Government Area of the state.
Dan’iya described the attacks as a serious failure by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led governments at the state and federal levels to adequately protect lives and property.
According to a statement issued by his Media Aide, Aminu Abdullahi, a mother and her son were among those reportedly killed during an attack in Rabah on Sunday, while 10 people were allegedly killed and about 40 others abducted.
The statement added that another attack on Tofa village in the same local government on Monday reportedly resulted in the deaths of seven people and the abduction of 12 others.
Dan’iya said the incidents represented a worrying escalation of the security crisis confronting communities in Sokoto State.
He recalled that Rabah had suffered several attacks in recent months, citing a March incident in which the police reportedly confirmed that one person was killed and five others abducted in Mallamawar Yari village.
He also cited a June attack in which four farmers were reportedly killed and 12 others abducted.
“How many more people must be killed or abducted before the APC governments admit that Sokoto has a serious security emergency?” Dan’iya asked.
He said the repeated attacks had exposed what he described as a gap between government assurances on security and the reality confronting residents in rural communities.
The ADC candidate also criticised the state government over what he described as inadequate attention to security interventions, despite the continued vulnerability of communities in areas such as Rabah.
He challenged the government to ensure that its recently announced allocation of N1.75 billion for the procurement of 1,000 motorcycles to combat banditry translates into concrete security improvements.
“The people of Rabah do not need another press statement. They need security personnel, intelligence, rapid response and the confidence to sleep in their homes without fearing that armed men will arrive in the night,” he said.
Dan’iya also criticised the APC administration’s handling of the security portfolio in Sokoto, arguing that the scale of the crisis required stronger institutional coordination and direct political accountability.
He said security should be treated as an emergency of the highest priority, given the growing threat of killings, kidnapping and displacement across vulnerable communities.
The ADC candidate further urged the Federal Government to take greater responsibility for addressing insecurity in the North-West, saying Sokoto should not become a permanent theatre of killings, kidnapping and fear.
“When citizens are being killed and abducted, demanding accountability is not politicising insecurity. When communities are attacked repeatedly, asking government to protect them is not politics,” he said.
Dan’iya called on the Federal Government, Sokoto State Government and security agencies to intensify intelligence-led operations, rescue abducted residents, apprehend those responsible for the attacks and establish sustained security presence in vulnerable communities.
He commiserated with the families of those killed, particularly the family of the mother and her son, and prayed for the safe return of those abducted.
He also commended security personnel for their efforts in confronting banditry across the state and urged them to strengthen efforts to protect vulnerable communities.
Dan’iya pledged that, if elected in 2027, an ADC administration under his leadership would make the protection of lives and property a priority through stronger intelligence gathering, improved coordination with security agencies and sustained operations against criminal networks.
“Sokoto must not become a place where people are killed today, mourned tomorrow and forgotten the day after. Every life lost is a failure that government must answer for. We will restore security, restore confidence and restore the right of every citizen to live without fear,” he said.
