Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has said that relying solely on the use of force to address Nigeria’s security challenges especially in the Northwest, is ineffective, calling instead for a more holistic, community-led approach.
Speaking during the public presentation of “Where I Stand,” a book by the late Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi, translated into Arabic by Sheikh Ibrahim Jalo Jalingo, Sani emphasized that insecurity in the Northwest differs significantly from the ideologically driven Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.
“Insecurity can’t be resolved solely through the use of firearms. Whoever makes such a claim is only playing politics. We must fear God and stop deceiving the people, because that approach will not work,” the governor declared.
Governor Sani argued that the roots of banditry lie in poverty, unemployment, and decades of neglect of rural communities.
He pointed to the lack of security presence in large swathes of the Northwest, noting that in some areas like Zamfara, Birnin Gwari and parts of Katsina, it is possible to travel over 50 kilometers without encountering a single police officer or soldier.
He also highlighted a troubling comparison:
“In 1970, after the civil war, Nigeria had about 300,000 soldiers. Today, we have fewer than 250,000, even though our population has grown by over 100 million. How then can guns alone solve the problem? It’s impossible.”
Sani advocated for what he described as the Kaduna Peace Model, which emphasizes non-kinetic solutions and community engagement.
He said that traditional rulers, religious leaders, and local stakeholders were involved in efforts to restore peace particularly in areas like Birnin Gwari, where the Emir played a leading role.
“We spent six months trying to understand the root causes of insecurity. We found that lack of education, healthcare, infrastructure, and commerce pushed people into crime.”
He added that elected leaders must take direct responsibility rather than shifting blame to President Bola Tinubu or National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
“We were elected by the people. It is our duty to do everything possible to protect them. I chose the non-kinetic path because I will be the one held accountable before God.”
El-Rufai, however, disagrees. In a recent interview with Channels Television, El-Rufai condemned negotiations with bandits and dismissed non-kinetic methods.
“I still maintain my earlier stance in dealing with these bandits—kill them all. You don’t pamper terrorists by negotiating with them. It has never worked anywhere,” he said.
He also accused the current administration of suppressing media coverage of insecurity and claimed that security conditions in Kaduna have worsened under the Tinubu-led government.
El-Rufai further alleged that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) was involved in coordinating ransom payments to kidnappers, an accusation promptly denied by the NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, who insisted that no such actions have taken place under the current administration.
