The Northern Elders Forum (NEF), has condemned what it called “the heinous abduction and subsequent murder of the Emir of Gobir, Alhaji Isa Muhammad”.
The forum in a statement issued on Friday in Kaduna by the Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Northern Elders Forum, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said,
“This appalling act, perpetrated by bandits, stands not only as a breach of the sanctity of traditional institutions but also as a stark manifestation of the underlying chaos that pervades certain regions in Northern Nigeria.
“The NEF’s pronouncement reflects a deep-seated outrage that resonates with the collective sensibilities of the northern populace, who hold their traditional leaders in high regard.”
He noted that the Emir of Gobir’s assassination represented more than a mere loss of life, saying that it was a profound attack on cultural heritage, a disregard for customary authority, and a grim reminder of the rampant insecurity that had plagued much of Northern Nigeria.
According to the statement, “This act is both heinous and merciless, as well as an affront not only to the reverence traditionally afforded to emirs but also to the very values that underpin the social fabric of the region. For us in Northern Nigeria, traditional rulers symbolize stability, guidance, and communal identity.”
He further explained that the abduction and brutal killing thus sent “shockwaves through society, unsettling the already fragile trust between the people and the institutions meant to protect them”.
The NEF, therefore, expressed its condolences to the Sultan of Sokoto, the family of the deceased emir, and the people of Gobir, “and explicitly calls for justice”, demanding that “all relevant stakeholders, including government authorities and security agencies, take decisive steps to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice”.
The forum said that allowing such criminals to escape unpunished would only embolden them, exacerbating the cycle of violence and instability that had become all too common in the region.
According to the statement, the criminal acts perpetrated by bandits are not isolated incidents, saying that they form part of a worrying trend of violence and lawlessness that had engendered fear and insecurity in Northern Nigeria.
The alarming frequency of kidnappings, robberies, and related atrocities, according to the statement, had left communities in a state of despair, stressing that the killing of a prominent figure like the Emir of Gobir signified a troubling turning point in that trajectory of violence.
“Moreover, this tragedy calls for a comprehensive reevaluation of the security architecture in Northern Nigeria.
“The time has come for policymakers to address the root causes of insecurity, which include economic disenfranchisement, rampant poverty, and inadequate governance.
“A mere reactive approach, primarily characterized by military interventions, is insufficient to tackle such deep-seated issues,” the statement explained.
