In view of the latest development, where members of the Boko Haram are regrouping in some parts of Nasarawa State to lunch an attack on target areas, an expanded emergency security council meeting was held in Lafia, the state capital to avert any possible attack from the suspected terrorists.
The terrorist’s group were alleged to have been regrouping in some communities, cutting across four local government areas of the state, namely Karu, Wamba, Nasarawa and Awe.
These are identified localities sharing borders with the FCT, Kaduna, Plateau, Benue and Taraba States.
The security meeting which was in the instance of Governor Abdullahi Sule was attended by the state Deputy Governor, Emmanuel Akabe, members of the State Executive Council, Heads of Security Agencies in the state and representatives of traditional rulers led by the Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage (rtd).
The expanded meeting was primarily to address cases of insecurity been orchestrated by the terrorist group in the last few weeks in the state.
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During the meeting held at the Government House, Lafia, Governor Abdullahi Sule attributed the increased influx of unknown Fulani herdsmen and strangers in those localities to the event in the south West, starting from Ondo and Oyo, where the Hausa/Fulani communities migrated from, thereby worsening the security situation of the state.
Governor Sule who was worried about the trends of abduction, especially on school children said that the meeting was also aimed at addressing issues bordering on banditry, as well as providing adequate security in public schools, especially in girls’ schools.
He specifically identified the regrouping of Boko Haram terrorists, earlier dislodged from the Toto Local Government Area, who are now regrouping in parts of the state, as well as the recent invasion of schools by bandits who kidnap mostly female students.
This is happening in less than two months that Governor Abdullahi Sule lodged a complaint to President Muhammadu Buhari over the regrouping of the dislodged Boko Haram insurgents along the Benue/Nasarawa border.
The terrorists are not only spreading their wings back to the state, their presence was being felt in three local government areas as a base, from where they would be launching attacks to their targets areas.
Governor Sule who was at the State House, Abuja sometimes in January this year to seek urgent presidential intervention in checking the dastardly activities of the insurgents, then alleged that the Boko Haram elements active in the State belonged to the Darussalam group that had been dislodged from Niger.
The terrorist’s group were camped in the forest of Toto/Nasarawa Local Government Areas, whose activities posed a major threat to the people and socio-economic development of the state.
Governor Sule said, emerging security situations within the country and Nasarawa State, in particular, necessitated that the state security council meet, to deliberate and proffer solutions to identified security threats.
Sule expressed concern that the bandits, mostly members of the banned Darassulam sect which have paid allegiance to the Boko Haram, are presently regrouping in places like Bakono, Kabusu, Panda, Bahashabiyar, Ambaka and Gidanrai, all in Nasarawa, Karu and Wamba local government areas.
He disclosed that the aftermath of recent incidences in the South West, especially in Ondo and Oyo States, where the Hausa/Fulani community was attacked, Nasarawa State is witnessing the influx of unknown herdsmen in Wamba, Karu, Doma and Awe local government areas.
On the recent kidnapping of mostly school girls by bandits in some states, Engineer Sule warned that Nasarawa State must not be caught off guard, especially from what governors learnt after students were kidnapped in Niger State.
According to the Governor, there is a need to take proactive measures towards protecting public schools in the state.
To this end, Engineer Sule disclosed that the Federal Government drafted several special mobile forces to the state, with his administration dispatching a unit each to Gitata, Mararaban Udege, Okuba in Bakono/Tunga/Loko area, Gudi/Maroa and Ambaka in Farin Ruwa development area.
In addition to that, the Governor said military surveillance teams have been engaged especially in Wamba and Garaku to secure the girls’ schools there, as well as in Udege, Panda, Gitata, Wuse/Akiri/Tunga and Toto/Umasha/Gadabuke, because of the activities of bandits.
“We decided to send some surveillance in those areas, in addition to the air police surveillance with the helicopter,” he stated.
Sule pointed out that officials of the Ministry of Education, Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB) and traditional rulers, were part of the meeting, to ensure that public schools are protected.
The Governor used the opportunity of the meeting to express appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari, as well as the military and police, especially the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, for always coming to the aid of the state.
