From:Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani has said that poverty and unemployment are responsible for the security challenges of banditry and kidnapping bedevilling the North-West region of the country.
He said the best way to tackle the challenges is through good governance.
The Governor stated this at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, Kaduna on Monday while receiving members of the Kaduna State Elders Forum who paid him a congratulatory visit over his victory at the Supreme Court.
He said as Kaduna intensifies military actions against banditry and kidnapping with the support of the Defence headquarters to build additional two Forward Operation Bases in the state, his government is also adopting good governance as the best non-kinetic solution to the security challenges.
Governor Sani who noted that the alarming rate of out-of-school children must also be addressed to ensure a secure state and region disclosed that, the state is getting $ 28 million in support from Kuwait to address the problem of out-of-school children.
According to the Governor, “The chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army and the Chief of Air Staff, have assured us of their support to our security efforts. They have decided to set up two Forward Operation Bases (FOB) in Kaduna, one in Southern Kaduna, Zangon Kataf to be precise and the other one in Birnin Gwari to serve Birnin Gwari down to Giwa. The FOBs will be set up in the next three weeks.
“This is one of the most important interventions by the Defence Headquarters because we have always said that, we need more boots on the ground and we need the support of the military generally and we are grateful that we are having that support.
“We have also announced last week that we would be setting up a security trust fund. By the grace of God, tomorrow, I will be signing the bill for the establishment of the Security Trust Fund 2024. We are amending the one that is obsolete and coming up with a new one. This will give room for the private sector to come in and work with us.
“We are also looking at the non-kinetic approach to addressing the security challenges. But the issue of the non-kinetic approach is not just about talking with the bandits, negotiating and asking them to submit their weapons, that is only one aspect of it. “
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