The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has called on the federal government to intensify efforts in tackling insecurity, particularly in northern communities still ravaged by banditry and violence.

Speaking at a town hall meeting on the mid-term achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, organised by the Federal Ministry of Information in Sokoto on Thursday, the Sultan represented by the Sarkin Yakin Gagi, Umar Sani commended government policies that have contributed to a reduction in food prices nationwide.

He, however, stressed that insecurity continues to overshadow these gains.
“We want to see our people living in their communities without fear. We also want to see them traveling safely on our roads from here to Abuja, to Kano, and other parts of the country without the constant fear of abduction,” he said.

The Sultan also praised the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), noting its positive impact on tertiary students, but urged both President Tinubu and Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu to step up security efforts.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Muhammad Idris, highlighted that federal and state governments have jointly committed N7 billion to improve education in Sokoto. He disclosed that 30,000 metric tons of milled rice were supplied to civil servants at a subsidised rate of N40,000, while the ongoing 1,068 km Sokoto–Badagry road project demonstrates the administration’s infrastructural push.

At the meeting, NELFUND’s desk officer at Sokoto State University revealed that more than 4,000 students are already benefitting from the loan scheme. Some participants, however, expressed concerns about the slow pace of road construction, urging the government to fast-track projects to boost security and mobility in the region.