Former Senator Shehu Sani has made a startling revelation about the true identity of terrorists and bandits operating in Northern Nigeria, dismissing claims that they are foreigners from other African nations.
The Truth About Terrorists' Origins
During a recent public discussion on insecurity, the former Kaduna Central representative categorically stated that terrorists and bandits are not foreigners but rather people from the Northern region itself. Sani, who served in the 9th National Assembly, emphasized that these criminal elements originate from within Northern communities.
'The terrorists killing people in the North East are not from Congo, Malawi, Libya or Egypt; they are northerners, and they are Muslims,' Sani declared during the security dialogue. He maintained the same position about bandits in the North-West, stating they are not from Senegal, Mali, Morocco, Guinea or Guinea-Bissau.
Confronting the Reality of Insecurity
The APC chieftain from Kaduna provided crucial insights about the linguistic and ethnic background of these armed groups. 'They are Fulani from the North-West of Nigeria,' he asserted, adding that 'they are not speaking Chinese or Spanish. They speak Fulani, Hausa and Kanuri. These are our languages.'
Sani challenged the common narrative that externalizes the security problem, insisting that Northern leaders must take responsibility for finding solutions. He argued that the region cannot continue blaming other countries for security challenges that are fundamentally local in nature.
Numbers and Necessary Action
Regarding the scale of the threat, the former senator provided a surprising estimate of the actual number of active fighters. He revealed that the total number of bandits and terrorists operating in the region is not more than 5,000, contradicting assumptions about larger forces.
Sani urged Northern leaders to decide when they will directly confront this security challenge and develop a regional security response based on accurate information about the groups involved. He stressed that only through honest acknowledgment of the problem's origins can effective solutions be designed and implemented.
The senator's comments come amid ongoing security challenges in Northern Nigeria, where communities continue to face threats from various armed groups operating in the region.
