The Chairman of Isa Local Government Council in Sokoto State, Hon. Sharehu Abubakar Kamarawa, has denied a lack of response to the switch and ignored early warnings in a bandit attack that left six dead and many abducted in Bargaja village of the council.
In a statement personally signed on Sunday, the council boss described the allegation as false, misleading, and not reflective of the facts on the ground.
According to him, before the attack, he received an intelligence report about suspicious movements in the area, and the council immediately mobilised local security guards and alerted relevant security agencies for swift intervention.
“Security personnel were deployed to the reported location to forestall any attack. Unfortunately, subsequent intelligence revealed that the bandits had diverted through another route outside the initially reported area, leading to the unfortunate incident,” the statement read.
Kamarawa added that, following what he described as negligence of duty, the commander in charge of the affected area had been removed and replaced to ensure improved coordination and accountability.
He, however, reaffirmed the local government’s commitment to supporting security operations across all communities within the council.
He also stated that the council has continued to provide logistics, operational allowances, fuel, and other essential materials to enhance the capacity of security agencies.
Kamarawa noted that the welfare of local vigilante groups remains a priority, ensuring they are always ready to collaborate with conventional security forces in protecting lives and property.
The chairman expressed condolences to the families of those killed in Bargaja. He pledged that both the state and local governments would remain fully committed to restoring lasting peace and stability in the area.
“Security is a collective responsibility,” he said, urging residents to provide credible intelligence to security agencies rather than spreading unfounded allegations that could undermine morale among security operatives.
Kamarawa also commended Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto for his ongoing efforts to combat insecurity in the state. These, he said, include the distribution of hundreds of patrol vehicles and motorcycles to security agencies, the reinstatement of monthly operational allowances for personnel, and the creation of the Sokoto State Community Guard Corps to complement conventional forces.
He further highlighted the governor’s approval of an air component under Operation Farsan Yamma and plans to recruit more personnel into the State Neighbourhood Initiative and the Sokoto Marshals as part of measures to boost community security.
He assured that the council remains resolute in its commitment to supporting all security operations aimed at curbing banditry and other criminal activities across Isa and neighbouring communities.
