Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has presented N80 million cheques to families of forest guards and vigilantes who lost their lives during encounters with kidnappers in Babanla, Oke Ode and Eleyin of Ifelodun and Isin local government areas.
The governor also approved N100 million support for the families of the brave men in Edu and Patigi who died in an ambush in July by kidnappers as the former set out to confront them in the wake of abductions in the area.
The governor saluted the bravery and patriotism of the victims and prayed to God to repose their souls.
“We pray for the souls of the deceased. It was an unfortunate incident. They died in active service. Government cannot but sympathise with the families,” the governor said in Ilorin, the state capital, when he presented cheques to the beneficiaries.
“We will keep supporting them and ensuring that the state and our country are safe.
“As you can see, the military has moved in with full force. We look forward to supporting the Nigerian Army and other security agencies as they chase the criminals out of the state,” he added.
The chairman of Ifelodun local government area, Alhaji Femi Yusuf, commended the governor’s gesture, which, he said, would ameliorate the suffering of the bereaved families.
He lauded the governor for his relentless efforts to rout out criminals and restore lasting peace in the affected parts of the state.
Meanwhile, the government has supplied fighting equipment and motorcycles for the forest guards and vigilantes maintained by communities in the flashpoints.
The new logistics have positioned the forest guards and the vigilantes to hunt down the kidnappers and defend their communities — a practical complement to the efforts of the conventional security forces.
