Insecurity: Niger governor seeks leaders, public partnership with security agencies

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By Tokunbo FAKEYE (Abeokuta)

NIGERIA: NIGER State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani-Bello, has called on leaders, especially the elected and appointed public office holders, to utilize their political will to collaborate with security agencies to curb insecurity in the country.

Sanni-Bello made the call when he hosted the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Division of the Nigeria Army, Major-General Mohammed Mohammed in his office in Minna.

The Governor, in a news release signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Jibrin Baba Ndace, also solicited the continued support of the military in fighting the security challenges in the state.

He stressed that the increasing wave of insecurity required leaders at all levels to rise up to the situation.

The Governor, however, urged them not to be carried away by the paraphernalia of office, which provides adequate security for them because they may become vulnerable as soon as they leave office.

“Today God has chosen us as leaders, myself as the governor, you as the GOC and others in their respective offices,” he said, adding: “We are protected by the virtue of our offices, we have enough security around us and travel freely, which every ordinary Nigerian cannot.”

Sanni-Bello further said: “God has given us this opportunity as leaders; we should not be carried away by the security we are enjoying now and fail to use our good offices, our influence and our connection to help address the various security challenges confronting us as a country.

“We cannot continue to live with the illusion that we are secured, just because of the office we occupied, a time will come when we’ll be out of office and we shall be vulnerable.  It is high time we join hands with the security agencies to address the matter once and for all.”

Sanni-Bello sought the support of the military in curtailing the recent security challenges being encountered in the state, as the nefarious activities of the criminals, which were hitherto alien to the state, have started to take toll on the source of livelihood of the people and the economy of the state.

“I believe that with your (military) support, we will have a safe environment,” the Governor said, adding: “Niger State government has worked very hard to fight insecurity and we have been able to restore some safety and peace within the state.”

While commending the security agencies in the state called for inter-agency collaboration between the military and other security agencies to curb security challenges, he challenged the military to re-strategize on ways of curbing the lingering criminal activities in the state.

Mohammed had earlier said he was in the state as part of military efforts at ensuring that the insecurity in the North-West and North-Central zones of the country are addressed collectively

The GOC assured the governor of military support in his quest to ensure that security is restored to the state.

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