Governors are tired and frustrated, says Fayemi on rising insecurity

Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti state, says his counterparts are tired and frustrated of the issues of banditry and kidnapping currently facing the country.

Fayemi, who is also the chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), spoke on Tuesday when he led three governors on a solidarity visit to Aminu Masari, governor of Katsina, over the abduction students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina.

The students were released after six days in captivity.

According to NAN, Fayemi was accompanied by Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto; Atiku Bagudu, governor of Kebbi and Badaru Abubakar, governor of Jigawa.

He was quoted to have said governors need to address the issues of banditry, kidnapping and criminality, including the causes of these problems.

“For us, the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), we believe that we not only have to be on top of banditry, kidnapping and criminality generally, but we also have to be on top of the causes of these problems,” he said.

“Social inequality and poverty are key issues and we need to ensure that our governments, our states pry away our young people from the merchants of death who are using them as cannon fodder for these criminal brigandage.

“We can only do that through providing them with alternative means of livelihood and support system that will not entice them to these elements that are endangering the whole of our country… We are all tired, we are all frustrated that these issues are happening.”

Fayemi said governors must work with President Muhammadu Buhari to put an end to banditry, kidnapping and other problems, instead of engaging in repeated talking.

“And this is something that we are committed to  as governors, in working with Mr President, so that we don’t keep on talking about something over and over again,” he said.

“But we know that with concerted efforts on our part as governors and the commitment of the Federal Government, the professional conduct of our security services and our social investment programme intensified, we shall see the end of these criminality, brigandage in our states. “