Governor Ahmed Aliyu has restated the need for greater collaboration between the federal and state governments to fight banditry and other forms of criminality bedevilling parts of the country.

In a statement on Thursday, his spokesman, Abubakar Bawa, said Mr Aliyu appealed to Sokoto residents as the country marked its 66th independence anniversary.

The governor commended the federal government’s support in the fight against banditry in Sokoto. He noted the need to sustain that support, expressing optimism that stronger collaboration would soon make insecurity a thing of the past.

“There is a strong synergy between the Sokoto state government and the Federal Government in our collective commitment towards protecting the lives and property of our people,” he said.

Mr Aliyu highlighted some of the state’s interventions to complement the efforts of conventional security agencies. 

These include the provision of over 200 patrol vehicles since the inception of his administration, two emirate bulletproof vehicles, 100 Buffalo APCs, 200 motorcycles, 3,200 security hardware, 2,000 bulletproof vests and 200 night-vision goggles.

Other interventions, according to the Governor, include providing 100 thermal-vision scopes and other security gadgets, facilitating the full operationalisation of the Nigerian Air Force Base, Sokoto, upgrading the DSS tracker from 4G to 5G technology, and establishing the Sokoto State Community Guard Corps.

He added that the state had also procured 40 Hilux vans and 700 motorcycles for the Community Guard Corps, facilitated the establishment of a military barracks in Illela and a police mobile barracks at Tara Village in Sabon Birni council area, among other measures.

The governor reassured the people of his administration’s continued determination to end banditry in Sokoto.  He also appealed to citizens to rally around the administration in its efforts to restore lasting peace and security across Sokoto.