Universal Reporters Nasarawa State Correspondent focuses on the steadfastness of the state Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule to curb insecurity in the gateway to the Federal Capital Territory, the incumbent administration borrowed a leaf from the Community Based Conflict Resolution Approach of his predecessor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura to sustained the partial peace experienced in the State, three years after the incumbent Governor takes over the mantle of leadership.
Governor Abdullahi Sule in a bid to strengthened the security of lives and properties in Nasarawa state has distributed over 35 Operational vehicles to security agencies, this bring the number of operational vehicles distributed to security agencies from May 29, 2019, to over 129 ranging from Hilux, Sharon, pick-up vans and among others to ease the movement of security agencies.
The Governor did not stop at that but also distributes hunter motorcycles to ease the security of lives and properties of the citizenry, the governor said security has been beefed up and mobbing of hideouts of criminal elements in the state has since commenced in earnest.
He further added that the mobbing started in Awe Local Government being a border town of Nasarawa State ,he explained that the operation which will be extended to other Local Governments.
Engineer Abdullahi Sule thanked traditional rulers, head hunters, vigilantes, and leaders of Muslim and Christians with one operational vehicle each to help preach peace and unity of the state.
He however allocated three operational vehicles to Nigeria Army, four for Nigeria Police, Airforce and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) , others bodies that benefited from the olive branches are the Federal Road Safety Commission, Pension Board, The Bureau for Information Communication Technology , The Nasarawa State Agricultural Development Programme,.National Drug Law Enforcement agencies respectively.
Abdullahi Sule also allocated vehicles to the office of Attorney General State and Local Government, the governor further explained that the state will very soon receive another fund from the federal government.
On the ongoing bickering of Muslim, Muslim ticket at the federal level and other states of the federation, governor Abdullahi Sule appealed to the people of Nasarawa state to remain united by shunning all religious vagaries that may ignite a crisis in the State.
According to him, “As a matter of priority, special emphasis should be made on the SECURITY of the state over the years. there has been the general scenario of security breaches in some parts of the state, this situation has undermined progress in the state you would all agree with me that most security challenges are caused by idleness, low level of education, misinformation, rumor-mongering, ethnic chauvinism and religious bigotry which all combine to create the very insecure environment which is being witnessed.
In the absence of peace, security, and order, progress would remain a mirage this despondent state of affairs will be met with serious measures by our administration.
Towards this end, we will review and upgrade the extant articulated and established laws by our predecessor.
“Allied to the issue of security is the concern of decreasing level of UNITY amongst our people. It is an indisputable fact that unity in the land is a panacea for peaceful co-existence and meaningful progress. In this connection, our administration will set up a formal advisory forum consisting of elder statesmen, community and opinion leaders, and former public office holders of proven integrity with track records to guide the Government on certain crucial issues concerning the state.
“The forum will also serve as a platform for cross-fertilisation of ideas between government and the people and an instrument for peace and consensus building amongst our people, security of lives and properties according to a wise saying ‘for a government to be responsible, it must cater for the lives and properties of its people by ensuring that they are secured’”
The above is the inaugural address of Governor Abdullahi Sule on 29th of May 2019, the Governor in three years succeeded in changing the narrative by ensuring that Nasarawa state witnessed less or no communal skirmishes while comparing the security situation, this can be attributed to consolidating on his predecessor’s peace and conflict resolution approach.
Engineer Sule’s first approach to tackling security issues was his intensifying of security by approving the establishment of an additional security base, bringing the entire number to sixteen camps. the Governor, in a different forum, said Government will guarantee necessary safety to shelter the investment of willing investors.
In furtherance of his pledge to the security of lives and properties within the border communities of the state, he paid a visit to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State in order to build synergy towards addressing the intermittent cross border conflict between Fulani herders and farmers in the two states.
The steps taken within his hundred days in office have mitigated the brim-over effect which continues to subvert the fragile tranquility experienced between the sister states.
The three hours parley no doubt is the first of its kind in the history of Nasarawa State security wise as the Governor and traditional rulers spoke extensively on measures that would bring the persistent carnage to the barest minimum.
The inauguration of Nasarawa State boundary commission was the beginning of good things to come as well as an end to the rising waves of crisis experienced within the borders of the state,the inauguration of Ibrahim Aliyu as the commissioner Nasarawa State Boundary Commission was a welcome development, as the governor responds to the call by a traditional ruler, His Royal Highness, the Andoma of Doma, Alhaji Ahmadu Aliyu Ogah, urging the constituted authorities to set up members of State Boundary Commission so as to tackle the main cause of wanton disturbances at the border communities of Benue and Nasarawa states.
Governor Abdullahi Sule also reiterated his administration’s eagerness to nip the prolonged Bassa/Igbira ethnic skirmishes in Toto Local Government of the state, in the bud by ensuring that he brings unity to the warring communities who are seeing themselves as life time enemies.
Governor Sule has built a bridge of peace between Bassa and Igbira, unabated communal and ethnic conflict between the two tribes has yielded prolific results subsequent to the timely intervention of Engineer Abdullahi Sule reuniting the two warring tribes in the State, other holistic efforts of the Governor to ensure an everlasting peace was the integration process by bringing Bassa and Igbira to a round table.
Engineer Abdullahi Sule adopted a workable and formidable mechanism to nip insecurity in the bud in the state, other precautionary measures to tackle the rising waves of insecurity was the swift step taken by inaugurating the state Community Policing Advisory Council to complement the existing Community-Based Conflict Mechanism of the immediate past administration, the Midas touch of the governor recently was the distribution of five operational vehicles with the s0ole aim of boosting the security of lives and properties.
Engineer Abdullahi Sule did not relent in halving crime and criminality in the state. the Governor recently disbursed two operational vehicles to the army and three to the Nigerian police force, which was a replicate of his hand of fellowship in years 2020 and 2021 where vehicles, motorcycles, mattresses and mobile phones were donated to security operatives.
With the serene environment created by Governor Abdullahi Sule, the Nigeria Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) Abuja, placed the state in third position alongside Rivers State, Nasarawa and Rivers State emerged third with a joint investment of $300 million representing 18 percent of total investment during the period under review. with these records, the industrialization efforts of Engineer Abdullahi Sule have yielded desired results.
It is worthy of note that the peaceful environment in Nasarawa State continues to usher in development partners into the ‘Home of Solid minerals’. Security and peace of the state remain the topmost priority of Governor Abdullahi Sule’s administration. the governor placed the state on the list of states with ease of doing business, and marshaled out robust security architecture for the state to be more secure and attention.
