Barely two days after ordering the closure of schools, Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has raised an alarm over noticed movements of suspected bandits fleeing from Niger, Zamfara, Kebbi and Kaduna to Nasarawa.
The governor said the large movements of the fleeing bandits identified in Rugan Juli and Rugan Madaki in Karu; Wamba and Toto Local Government Areas necessitated the expanded security meeting held in Government House, Lafia.
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Governor Sule narrated that the rationale behind expanding emergency security meeting was to take proactive measures considering the security situation across the country, particularly within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where over 800 inmates escaped from the Kuje correctional facility recently.
He, however, confirmed that security reports indicate that, following the influx of these suspected bandits, there has been a noticeable increase in cases of kidnapping within the last two months.
The governor said, “We believe it is very necessary to call this meeting in view of some of the security challenges we are beginning to see. As usual, the government decided to be proactive and in order to be proactive, we have to also join in calling for this meeting, so that we can share ideas.”
He used the opportunity to shed more light on why the state government decided to order the closure of schools, stressing that the decision followed the outcome of an earlier meeting with some security chiefs.
He said the decision to shut down schools, except those writing their final NECO examination, was to forestall any eventualities.
Sule said an arrangement has been put in place to beef up security where students are still writing examinations.
The Governor appreciated the security agencies operating in the state, as well as traditional rulers, for their continued roles in addressing security challenges.
Addressing journalists immediately after the security meeting, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Adesina Soyemi, affirmed that following the increase in cases of kidnapping in recent times across the state, the council decided that the security men should endeavour to increase their patrol and raids so that all these criminal elements will be brought to book.
