Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto and his Zamfara counterpart, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, on Sunday said the nation’s security challenges require concerted effort to resolve them.
The governors stated this while speaking to journalists at Boji-Boji Owa, Ika North East Local Government Area, shortly after they paid a condolence visit to Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on the demise of his father, the late Pa Arthur Okorie Okowa.
Tambuwal who doubles as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum, said there is the need for all leaders to come together and work hard to save the situation.
“Without security, there cannot be any development and there cannot be peace and you need peace and security to govern.
“You also need peace and security for you to carry out business transactions and even worship. So, it’s key and very fundamental for development in any society.
“So, my charge is that all of us as leaders must come together irrespective of whatever views we may have in terms of approach to how the insecurity should be resolved.
“We should all be seen to be working together in coming up with a synergy and a template for resolving all of these conflicts,” he said.
On the new service chiefs, Tambuwal said they should be given a chance to show their capacity to resolve the lingering security issues in the country.
“They have just resumed and I think they should be given a chance to work.
“They know the issues and they know why all of us and many Nigerians came out to say that the previous service chiefs should give way for new hands to come in; they should listen to the people and do what is required of them by securing Nigerians,” Tambuwal said.
He commiserated with Gov. Okowa on the death of his father, saying the late Pa Okowa, lived a very impactful life and would be long remembered for raising children that have made great impacts in society.
Tambuwal said that the late Okowa was a great inspiration to his family members and a great patriarch and torchbearer.
On his part, Matawalle said Zamfara had been the epicentre of bandits in Northern Nigeria.
He said his administration had recorded a lot of successes using the kinetic and non-kinetic approaches.
“As a person, I couldn’t just fold my hands and watch my people being killed. We have been fighting that battle using two approaches, the kinetic and non- kinetic and we have recorded some successes.
“We are all together, we are one and we have been preaching peace because we want Nigeria to remain one.
“The security of the nation is not just for us as government but for all of us and we have lots of roles we can play as individuals so that we can be at peace as a nation,” Matawalle said.
Responding, Okowa thanked his Sokoto State and Zamfara counterparts for coming to condole with him.
He said his late father inspired him a lot in his political career.
“My dear brothers, I must truly thank both of you for coming because I know how far Sokoto and Zamfara are to Delta.
“I also know that you have security issues in both states but despite that you still found time to come and condole with me on the death of my father.
“Despite the age he passed on, it’s still a lot of pain to us. In the last two weeks, we have received a lot of condolence messages and visits and my siblings and I are truly grateful.
“Upon retirement as a teacher, he went into politics and God used him to guide me when I eventually entered politics years after.
“We will miss him a lot but we are further consoled by the love from Nigerians.
“I know what insecurity is to any governor and I pray that God will enable us to handle the various challenges we have in our various states,” Okowa said.
