The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, on Wednesday, said Nigerians should not deceive themselves that things are alright.
He made the comment during a National Security Summit in Abuja.
“Let us not deceive ourselves that things are alright, things are not alright,” the revered traditional ruler said. “We know it and we see it. For some of us, we have seen so much in our lives.
“Now things are really very bad. It doesn’t take anybody to know that Nigeria is in a very bad situation and it is a fact.”
He explained that for over 11 years as a traditional ruler, he has participated in several discussions on Nigeria’s national security, noting that it is time for leaders to execute actions rather than mere talks.
While commending the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, for initiating the National Security Summit, the Sultan called for the implementation of the resolutions of the summit.
The traditional ruler expressed happiness that both the Speaker and the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, have admitted that things are not well with the country.
He added, “In the last one and a half months, we have had three serious gatherings like this with the highest security echelons, leaderships in the country.
“Today, we are here once again to talk on the same issues of national security. I think enough of these talks, let us walk the talk.
“The more we sit here and talk, the more time we waste in taking real actions because we know the problems.”
Nigeria has been battling terrorism, among other security challenges, for more than a decade which has killed 36,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands in the northeast.
The Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) split from the jihadist group Boko Haram in 2016 and has since become a dominant threat in Nigeria, attacking troops and bases while killing and kidnapping passengers at bogus checkpoints.
On March 1, Boko Haram burnt down a United Nations humanitarian compound in the town of Dikwa after dislodging troops and killing six civilians.
The insurgency has spread to neighbouring Chad, Cameroon, and Niger, prompting a regional military coalition to fight the insurgents.