Sokoto Calls For Suspension Of Networks’ Blockade

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Sunday, October 24th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – After the attack on Goronyo market which claimed the lives of 43 people last week, the Sokoto state government has formally written to the Federal Government to suspend the blockade of telecommunications services earlier imposed on 14 local government areas of the state.

Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state disclosed this on Saturday when he received the North-East Governors Forum, represented by Governors of Borno and Gombe state, Professor Babagana Zulum and Alhaji Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya respectively, who paid a condolence visit to the state over the bandits’ attack of last week.

According to Governor Tambuwal, the call for the stopping of the blockade became necessary because of concerns expressed by security outfits in the state that the outage was affecting the smooth conduct of their works.

“The state government has already forwarded a letter to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy to review the internet blockade,” the governor said.

Tambuwal, who attributed the influx of the marauders to the security operations in Zamfara state, asked the Federal Government to expand the onslaught against bandits operation to other states of the North-West.

In a related development, the six governors of the North-East geopolitical zone have donated the sum of N20 million to the Sokoto state government. The gesture is coming a week after the dastardly killings of 43 people in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto state.

Governor Zulum, who is also the Chairman of the North-East Governors Forum, while announcing the donation, expressed sadness over the incident and offered that with his more than a decade experience of engaging the Boko Haram insurgents, he will offer valuable counsel to Sokoto state and other North-Western states currently experiencing the scourge of bandits and marauders.

Tambuwal, while applauding the NEGF for its kind gesture, promised that his administration would avail itself with the wealth of experience of his counterparts.