State governors have lamented the worsening insecurity in the country, listing it as one of the key issues the President Muhammadu Buhari, must tackle urgently.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi, told State House correspondents in Abuja on Friday that he met the President to review a number of issues that were of interest to him and his fellow governors. He listed the issues to include security, economy, vaccines management and the general outlook for 2021.
Fayemi, who is the Governor of Ekiti State, however said Buhari was working towards a rapid reduction in the activities of bandits, kidnappers and others criminals in the country.
He said, “I believe there is a whole range of strategies that he (Buhari) is putting in place in order to address that. I have also expressed to him the commitment of governors to step up to the plate, both in terms of providing support for our security agencies and also sensitising our population as well as addressing the causes of some of these crimes in our states.
“So, it is a partnership. He is our Commander-in-Chief, we are his field commanders and insecurity is ravaging the entire land.
“So, we all have to do whatever we can to reduce insecurity and to work in collaboration with the Federal Government.”
Meanwhile, the President has given an assurance that the Boko Haram insurgency, which started in 2009 in the North-East, would end this year.
He, however, urged the citizens to pray for the armed forces which are also undertaking operations against bandits and kidnappers in the North-West and parts of the North Central.
Buhari, who spoke on Friday, during the Juma’at prayer held in commemoration of the 2021 Armed Forces Remembrance Day at the National Mosque, Abuja, declared that, “This is a year of action and we will finish what we are doing.”
Represented by the Defence Minister, Maj. Gen. Magashi Salihi, (retd.), the President vowed that, “What is happening in this country will soon be over. This year, we will finish what we are doing; pray for us that we succeed.”
Buhari said the nation would continue to remember the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces, and would not cease to pray for the repose of the souls of those that paid the supreme price while defending the territorial integrity of the nation.
He gave assurances that the welfare of the families of the fallen heroes, as well as those who are still alive would always top the priority list of the government.
Earlier, the Chief Imam of the National Mosque, Dr Mohammed Adams, prayed for the repose of the souls of the fallen heroes.
He also offered prayers for an end to insurgency, banditry and other social vices affecting the country.
