The death of passengers by bandits in Sokoto’s Isa Local Government Area has been condemned by a coalition of Northern Youth Groups under the leadership of the Northern Ethnic Group Assembly, NEYGA.

According to prior accounts from the Vanguard, bandits brazenly set travelers ablaze in Sokoto on Wednesday, killing 23 people and injuring many more.

In a statement sent to Vanguard on Thursday, the group stated that “this is one attack that cannot be forgotten in a hurry.”

“Nigeria has been turned into a killing field by these bandits terrorizing the country where innocent civilians looking for their daily bread are forced to live in perpetual fear.

Alhaji Ibrahim Dan-Musa, the group’s spokesman said “the body language of Mr. Monguno shows that he is only interested in power and more power and acquisitions of properties instead of intelligence gathering.

“Virtually all parts of Nigeria are currently battling with one form of insecurity or the other with various crimes going on, largely unabated,” he said.

“Despite attempts by Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to curb the rising criminalities and killings across the country, the nation’s security apparatus under Monguno appears to be overwhelmed with criminals maiming and extorting their victims.”

He stated that under Monguno, “Nigeria police force is poorly funded and motivated, and the military, which is fighting a decade-long insurgency in the North-East, appears to be at the end of their wits on how to curtail the downward spiral in security.

“Swathes of the North-West have virtually been taken over by rampaging bandits who kidnap for ransom and kill victims who cannot pay for their freedom.

“The North-Central is not free from the deadly assaults by these bandits, and kidnap gangs who now operate freely in parts of Niger, Kogi and Nasarawa are making it into the Federal Capital Territory.

“The North-East is yet to experience peace as Boko Haram insurgents are in a deadly battle of supremacy daily with the nation’s military in a bid to carve out an Islamic state.

“Now largely ‘degraded’ as stated by federal officials, and focusing more on soft targets and solitary military formations, the insurgents still carry out attacks in a bid to terrorize the numerous communities in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa.”