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From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Traditional rulers in Kebbi State have been urged to cooperate with the Army in its ongoing onslaught fight to end banditry.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Faruk Yahaya, made the call at the palace of the Sarkin Bargun Kaoje, Alhaji Mustapha Usman Adamu while on a courtesy visit to the monarch in Bagudo local government.
He said, because of their strategic position in the community, they must not be left out in the security architecture of their domains.
The Army Chief urged traditional rulers and residents of various communities in Kebbi State to furnish the military with useful information that will help in their fight against banditry in the state.
Traditional rulers according to him have important roles to play in the fight against banditry and other criminal elements activities in the state.
“There is important information in the disposal of traditional rulers that may help the military in their constitutional duties to improve the security situation in the various communities of the state”, he averred.
He further said that as leaders of their communities, they have a duty to be on the lookout and report any suspicious or strange activities, and movement of criminal elements to security agents for people in their domains to live in peace.
The Chief of Army Staff, commissioned a one-kilometre road constructed by the army to honour its procurement Director, Major General Nasiru Usman Muktar who is from Kebbi State.
He said the road was constructed to tackle basic amenities challenges such as boreholes, and electricity being faced by people in the community. He said it will also accelerate commercial activities in the area.
In his response, Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu said it was heartwarming for him to see military officers impacting positively the lives of their community people.
He said his administration would continue to liaise with the military in its effort to tackle insecurity occasioned by bandits’ attacks.
“This administration will make sure it provided the military with whatever it needed to fight insecurity in Kebbi State,” he said.
The governor who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Babale Umar Yaurimni enjoined the community to reciprocate the military gesture by ensuring the road is maintained.
Earlier the District Head of Kaoje, Alhaji Usman Adamu called on the army to establish a military base in the area to check excesses of the bandits who he said are making incursions from Niger state, Niger and Benin republic borders through a large forest in the area.
“This is the second time we are receiving a high-profile figure from the military in Kaoje. The first time was in 1999 when General Ibrahim Babangida came to commission the Tunga bridge/Kaoje road. Your visit is the second one,” he said.
He commended the army for the road saying it would make the daily activities of his people more convenient and easier.
The Acting Head of Service, Alhaji Safiyanu Garba Bena, Commissioners, politicians, and traditional leaders were among the important personalities who attended the commissioning ceremony of the new road constructed by the army in Kaoje.
