…go back to drawing board-Governor tasks security agencies
Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has convened an emergency security meeting, with a view to tackling the resurgence of communal clashes across parts of the state, as well as the escalation of kidnapping activities.
In an opening remarks at the Government House on Friday, Engineer Sule decried the resurgence of communal clashes especially in Kokona, Karu and Toto Local Government Areas of the state, even as he lamented that the entire country is facing security challenges leading to the loss of lives.
The Governor explained that, the expanded security meeting, which has also in attendance national and local Fulani leaders, aimed at affording the security architecture in the state to go back to the drawing board in order to proffer strategies to address the prevailing security challenges in the state.
Engineer Sule used the opportunity of the meeting to condole with families of the victims of recent crisis in Tatara, Gitata and Takalafiya, as well as in Toto and Karu Local Government Areas.
He particularly condemned the escalation of kidnapping activities in the state, especially along the Gudi-Garaku road, where only recently a former deputy governor and ex-minister, Chief Solomon Ewuga was kidnapped.
“The one between Gudi and Garaku is very disturbing because it is taking place next to where we have a team of military patrol, just less than 3km away. We continue to record these incidents. Recently, we had a former deputyy governor, a former minister, Solomon Ewuga, who was kidnapped in the same location, and then we had about three other kidnappings and now, day before yesterday, they have escalated not only from kidnapping to also rustling of cows,” he stated.
The Governor lamented the resurgence of crisis across the entire country, describing it as unfortunate.
“It’s very unfortunate that Nigeria as a whole is facing some of these challenges. As I am talking to you, I spoke with the Governor of Plateau this morning. Mangu is on 24hr curfew because of the number of people we lost in Mangu Local Government Area where many people lost their lives. The same situation we are having in Gombe. Of course, you know what in Kaduna State.
“These are challenges we are having all over, but we can’t fold our arms without taking action. This is the essence of calling for this meeting.
“But in addition to that, we are beginning to see an escalation in the number of kidnappings. That is the essence of calling for this meeting. I want to use the opportunity to thank the security agencies for all their efforts across all the security challenges we are facing. It’s for us also to go back to the drawing board and discuss which other ways out.
“This is becoming very disturbing. That is why we invited you for this meeting so that we can put our heads together. So far, in Nasarawa State, we have been enjoying relative peace in the state for these number of years. We don’t want to lose that opportunity that God gave us, where we have peaceful coexistence and even during the elections where we thought we will have issues we didn’t have any issue.
Those in attendance at the meeting include Hon Kwanta Yakubu, Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Secretary to the Government of Nasarawa State, Barrister Muhammad Ubandoma Aliyu, heads of security agencies in the state, local government chairmen of Karu, Kokona and Toto.
Others are the Odyong Nyankpa of Panda, in Karu Local Government of Nasarawa State, HRH Barr. Joel Aninge, Chun Mada, HRH Samson Gamu Yare, National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo, as well as local leaders of the Fulani community including some Ardos.