NIGER: Govt. calls for recruitment of more security personnel

GOVERNOR Abubakar Sani Bello has called on the National Assembly and the Federal Government to expedite actions on recruitment of more security personnel.

Bello made the call, yesterday, when he received the Niger State caucus in the National Assembly on a visit to commiserate with  his administration over rising cases of banditry in the state.

The governor, who lamented the  insecurity in the state in particular and the country in general, noted that security agencies have been overstretched.

He stressed that the insecurity bedevilling the country has persisted, despite concerted efforts to stop it, because there are inadequate and abscence of sufficient surveilance equipment to manage security challenges very well.

Bello said, “We have being making all efforts to see that it is being curtailed but it’s been extremely difficult mostly because of manpower shortage and lack of equipment. The strength of the entire Police in Niger State is just about four thousand, it used to be 14 thousand for Niger State alone. So you can see the police is overstretched and i believe even the Military is the same.

“I hope we can work together to support the Federal government so that they can do the needful of expediting actions towards recruitment of more security agents. at the same time, these days you need a lot of technology to deploy and to manage security very well. So i hope the National Assembly will support the Federal government when it comes to the statutory budgetary provision that will provide for these equipment.”

He described the visit as a sign of unity between the state government and the National Assembly Members from the state adding that the secured victims are doing well and set to be reunited with their family members.

The government expressed optimism that the students and staff of Government Science College, Kagara that were  kidnapped will soon be released as “efforts are being made tirelessly to that effect.”

Earlier the National Assembly members from the state expressed worries over the security challenges in the state.

The lawmakers were led by Senator Abdullahi Sabi,  the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate,  who is representing Niger North

They described the development as “shocking and touching” adding that  it deserved prayers and divine  intervention.

The lawmakers said their visit  was to identify with the government and people of Niger state, adding that it’s  a solemn period not just for  the Governor and his cabinet but the entire people of the state and the country as a whole.

“The incidences(sic)in the last few weeks have no doubt shook(sic) the foundation(sic) of the state and the period calls for prayers, it calls for very strong introspection so that we can actually identify the problems and find lasting solutions to them”, he added.

He said as representatives of the people from the state at the federal level, they have always presented insecurity cases at the floor of the House so that the federal will be aware of the happenings in the state.

The Chairman of the caucus then commended the leadership of Governor Sani Bello and his efforts towards securing the release of the 53 kidnapped passengers of NSTA bus recently.