THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused the federal government of irresponsibility in failing to protect those killed by gunmen in Sokoto State last Wednesday. The NLC, in a press release on Saturday, signed by its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, entitled: “The Nigeria Labour Congress Mourns the Massacre in Sokoto State,” said it was with shock that it received the news “of the massacre of about 74 persons by dare devil assailants on Wednesday May 27, 2020 in a number of villages in Sabon Birnin Gobir and Gwadabawa local governments of Sokoto State.”
While describing the killings as callous and gruesome, it expressed concern that there was no one to respond to the cries for help by the communities while the massacre was going on. Comrade Wabba said the government failed the children, adults and families felled by the bullets of the gunmen.
Comrade Wabba said: “It is of great concern to us that the cry for help by attacked communities in Sokoto State failed to attract timely intervention by the government and our security forces. This is very sad and disconcerting. To those children and adults mowed down by the bullets of the cowardly assailants, their government failed them. To the families licking the wounds of the death of their loved ones, the state failed them.
“It is of great concern to us that the cry for help by attacked communities in Sokoto State failed to attract timely intervention by the government and our security forces. This is very sad and disconcerting. To those children and adults mowed down by the bullets of the cowardly assailants, their government failed them. To the families licking the wounds of the death of their loved ones, the state failed them.”
“The Sokoto massacre would not be the first time assailants have had a field day killing and maiming to their fill in that part of the country. In the past ten years, about ten thousand Nigerians have been killed by gun wielding terrorists and bandits. The killing field of last Wednesday in Sokoto State is another round of death too many.
“We strongly reiterate our earlier calls for the silencing, once and for all, of the machines of death in every part of Nigeria. The social trauma, economic displacement and demographic dislocation occasioned by the tributaries of blood flowing through the plains of North East and North West Nigeria foretell foreboding consequences. The spill over from the major theatres of violence in Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna States is also affecting many other states in Nigeria especially states that are in the North Central.
“We urge the Federal Government to continue to invest robust resources in intelligence gathering, armament and equipping of the Nigerian military especially airpower given the terrain difficulties in many of the vulnerable communities constantly under attack.
“While we condole with the Sokoto State government and families of those killed, we urge that the ongoing support being offered by the state government should be broadened and sustained. May Allah reward the faithful departed with Aljannat Firdausi.”
