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From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasiru El-Rufa’i, has noted that the recent abduction of the students of Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, in Ngaski Local Government Area of Kebbi State, portends a serious danger to the entire North West region.
El-Rufa’i stated this in Birnin Kebbi during his solidarity visit to Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State at Government house, Birnin Kebbi, over the abduction of students of FGC, Birnin Yauri by bandits last week.
According to him,” We were very happy that the problems of banditry and kidnapping of school children and other forms of criminality that for many years afflicted states like Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and even Kaduna have some eluded Kebbi State and we were relieved.
” Kebbi was an Island of peace in a sea of banditry, and we were, therefore, very disturbed in Kaduna state when last week we learnt the unfortunate abduction of school children in the state. It portends a serious danger to the entire peace of the Northwest region,” he said.
El-Rufa’i also expressed his concern over the cases of violent affecting farmers and potential of agriculture in Kebbi state, stressed that the state has become the centre of rice production that all Nigerians need.
” I am here to commiserate with you, the government and people of Kebbi state over the unfortunate event. In Kaduna state, we have been experiencing this for sometimes; confronting the problem, we have been doing the best we can to manage it with the active support and collaboration from the federal security agencies.
“It is about all we can do; we have no full control over the army, the police or the air force.
” They have been doing their best in their circumstances to support us, but we all need to do more and we all have to come back home and develop home grown solutions with the active participation of our people, our emirs and chiefs, community leaders and religious leaders to confront this monster,” he said.
Governor El-Rufai expressed optimism that the problem would come to an end in the shortest possible time as the Governors had been working together to tame the monster in the region.
In his remark Kebbj state Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu commended the Governor El-Rufai for the visit and prayer to stamp out the criminalities in the Northern region.
Bagudu recalled that since El-Rufai became Governor of Kaduna state, he had championed series of meeting, joint coordination of seven Northern states including Niger state which had reduced the level of criminalities in the areas.
He told Kaduna state Governor that, “when the school was attacked last week, there were 22 policemen in the school. Also some of the abductee’s ,encouragingly, have been rescued by our gallant security services. They have been vary active and putting in their best and supported by vigilantes and community members that have put on vigorous challenge to the abductors.
“Last week, when I visited the school after the incident, I met heroic set of parents who were appreciative of the efforts of the security agencies, efforts of the school authority.
” And they also magnanimous to accept the challenge not theirs alone, but the county’s. And people are showing their solidarity . Even before you come here, I know I have contact with you since incident happened.
“And incident of this nature, it is really not a state problem, especially the incident involving children who represent our future. It is an affront on our future and whether its happen in Kaduna or Kebbi, it is the same tragic”.
Bagudu explained that such incident should not be allowed to intimidate the people of the areas or government.
” It is not enough to intimidate us. Your constant continuous calls that we must mobilise and dominate the criminal elements among us because, no matter the capacity of the security agencies, no matter the equipment among them, experience among us have shown that it is the will power of the people, the community that would tell the criminals that, you can be here”.
He added that, he was proud of the outstanding leadership of Governor El-Rufai in mobilising other States for joint coordination to tackle the criminals in the Northern States.
