Kaduna, Feb. 14, 2024 – The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, says Nigeria is sitting on keg of gunpowder with millions of Nigerian youths left without jobs and food.
The Sultan, who is also the Chairman of Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council, made the observation in Kaduna on Wednesday at the 6th Executive Committee Meeting of Northern Traditional Rulers Council.
He expressed concern that things are not well in Nigeria, especially in the northern region.
According to him, insecurity and poverty are the two major issues that have been causing trouble for the people of the north.
“We have had such meetings before with the Northern Governors, so many times at Kashim Ibrahim House. We have now entered into a new cycle of leadership, some new Governors have come on board, while some are having their second term and still we at faced with these insecurity issues.
“To make matters worse, we are faced with rising levels of poverty of most of our people; a lack of normal sources of livelihood for the common man to have even a good meal a day.
“But, I believe talking about insecurity and the rising level of poverty are two issues that we cannot fold our arms and think everything is okay.
“I have said it so many times and at so many fora that, things are not okay in Nigeria and of course, things are not okay in the North.
“What are the real issues bringing about poverty and rising cases of insecurity? I don’t think it is the issue of the new government.
“To me, this government is a continuation of the former government; it is the same party. So, what really is the problem? I think that is one of the reasons we are here to talk to ourselves.
“We owe it a duty to the teeming millions of people that believe in the traditional institution, to bring solutions to the various problems facing them. We will not fail in doing that. We will do our best.
“I have said so many times, that we never lack a solution to our problems, what we lack is implementation, because we meet today, we bring out so many beautiful ideas on how to solve our problems, and we go back to our various places and go to bed, leaving such solutions here in this conference hall. So, how do we implement them?”
Also speaking at the meeting, Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, said the North had become the epicentre of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping with several lives lost and local economy destroyed. (GBN)
