The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has called on the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (retd.), to mobilise available resources and manpower to tackle the persistent killings, kidnappings and other violent crimes across Nigeria.

The group expressed particular concern over the rising insecurity in Sokoto State, describing the recent attacks and killings of innocent residents as worrisome.

MURIC made the call in a statement issued on Saturday by its Executive Director, Professor Isiaq Akintola.

Akintola urged the Defence Minister to take decisive action to bring the wave of killings and kidnappings across the country to an end, warning that Sokoto State was increasingly coming under siege.

According to him, insecurity has made it difficult for farmers in some parts of the state to access their farms, while villagers have been forced to seek safety outside their communities.

He added that residents in urban areas were also living in fear and sleeping “with one eye open” because of the persistent security threats.

“Killings and kidnappings around Nigeria have continued unabated. The level of insecurity has risen to an all-time high. But these terrorist activities have been concentrated on Sokoto State in particular in the past two years,” Akintola said.

He warned that the continued attacks in Sokoto had implications beyond the immediate victims, arguing that they also posed a challenge to Nigeria’s broader security architecture.

According to him, attacks in Sokoto are particularly significant because of the state’s historical importance as the seat of the Nigerian Caliphate.

“These incessant attacks on Sokoto State have far-reaching effects on both the Nigerian security architecture as well as the Nigerian populace,” he said.

Akintola further criticised what he described as security lapses around the state, arguing that the military must do more to protect residents and prevent further attacks.

“In the first place, it underlines the weakness of our military and its failure to secure the citizenry. Secondly, killings and abductions in Sokoto or any type of attack that happens in the state symbolise aggression on the seat of the Nigerian caliphate,” he stated.

MURIC therefore called on the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to strengthen operations in Sokoto and surrounding areas.

“We therefore hold the Nigerian Army responsible for the security lapses in and around Sokoto. We expect nothing less than an iron-clad defence mechanism in that axis,” Akintola added.