It is a given that protection of life and property formed the cardinal reason for the existence of governments all over the globe. Perhaps these reasons informed the decision of the Nasarawa state government under the stewardship of Governor Abdullahi Sule, to accord topmost priority to protection of life and property across the 13 council areas of the state.
Mindful of the fact that no development takes place in an atmosphere of strife and animosity, and conscious of the need to ensure total protection of lives and property so citizen can engage in economic activities for progress, growth and development of the state, Governor Sule prioritizes security and has continued to accord all the necessary support to the different security agencies in the state.
Prior to the emergence of the Governor Sule led administration, Nasarawa had intermittent crises including farmers-herders scuffle, which had remained intractable, inter-tribal conflict and other security challenges. The crisis between farmers and herders had a devastating toll on farming activities.
Determined to address this, Governor Sule, in his inaugural speech on May 29 2019, when he assumed leadership of the state, vowed to accord top-most priority to security
“As a matter of priority, special emphasis would be made on improving the security of the state over the years. There has been a 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, rumormongering, 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, former public office holders of proven integrity with a record of accomplishment 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” he added.
Indeed, in the last three years, the governor has been able to match words with action as far as addressing security challenges is concerned. From constant Security Council meetings where issues that are likely to pose threat to the peace and security being enjoyed in the state are discussed and decisions taken, to frequent engagement and support for security operatives, the Nasarawa state government has been on top of the situation hence the peace being enjoyed in the state.
The fact that prior to Governor Sule’s assumption of office, Nasarawa state was riddled with inter-tribal strife, which has led to displacement of most farming communities and expectedly, affected farming activities, is well documented. However, all of that has changed in less than three years of the governor’s stewardship.
One fundamental factor that has engendered this is the governor’s proactive posture to issues of security and his constant support to the different security agencies with presence in the state.
As a demonstration of his administration’s commitment to supporting security operatives, Governor Abdullahi Sule recently distributed over 35 operational/utility vehicles to security agencies. The latest donation brings to 129, the number of operational vehicles distributed to security agencies since the inception of the Governor Sule administration.
Perhaps it is fitting to assert that the vehicles, which included Hilux, Sharon, Pick-up vans amongst others, was to effectively ease the operations of the security personnel as they continue to provide the needed security for lives and property across the 13 local government areas of the state.
Speaking during the official distribution of the vehicles, Governor Sule said security has been beefed up and effective mopping of criminals’ hideouts in the state has since commenced in earnest. The governor said the mopping started in Awe local government, a border town of the state and is progressing effectively across the entire state.
Engineer Sule’s first approach in tackling security issues was his intensification of security by approving establishment of additional security bases, bringing the number to sixteen camps.
Reflectively, on assumption of office in 2019, Governor Sule swung into action by combating the lingering crisis especially among residents of the Nasarawa/Benue border settlements. To do this, he met Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state where they discussed extensively and proffered solutions that will guarantee peaceful coexistence between the two states. Of course, this has resulted in the peace being enjoyed especially at the border communities.
Also in his bid to improve the security for the people of the state, Governor Sule signed the Nasarawa State Kidnapping Act Prohibition Law 2020. This prescribes the death penalty for anyone found guilty of kidnapping in the state.
It is worthy of note that the act enumerated various offences relating to kidnapping and prescribed stringent punishment for perpetrators, such as life imprisonment and death penalty, all in a bid to deter criminals.
Fundamentally, the Governor Sule has shown how committed he is to the enthronement of an enduring peace in the state through the clinical manner with which his administration adopted practical measures to combat threats to security of lives and property in the state.
It would be recalled that the Governor swiftly inaugurated the state Community Policing Advisory Council to complement the existing Community Based Conflict Mechanism of the immediate past administration.
As should be expected, the Governor’s efforts are yielding positive results with investors trooping to the state. There is the Dangote Sugar Refinery in Awe local government area, Olam Farms in Doma LG, Azman and Golden Sugar Company, a subsidiary of the Flour Mills of Nigeria, is set to establish a Sugar Company in Toto LGA.
The importance of this on employment generation and poverty eradication cannot be easily quantified as Dangote Sugar alone said it is poised to employ 30,000 youths in the state and significantly reduce the importation of sugar. Perhaps this lent credence to what the deputy governor Dr Emmanuel Akabe said about 40 per cent of Nigeria’s total sugar needs coming from Nasarawa state by 2024.
According to Dr Akabe, the Dangote Sugar Refinery in Awe Local Government Area (LGA) and Flour Mills of Nigeria in Toto LGA will produce the 40 per cent sugar needs of the country.
He explained that once the companies started production in 2023 and started producing maximally in 2024, they would be producing 40 per cent of Nigeria’s sugar needs conveniently.
“I can tell you that by 2024, 40 per cent of the total sugar needs of Nigeria will be coming from Nasarawa state because the Dangote Sugar farm on 60, 000 hectares of land will start production by 2023. He said that would take care of 30 per cent of the total sugar needs of Nigeria.
“For the Flour Mills of Nigeria in the Toto area, they will also produce 10 per cent of the total sugar needs. So 10 per cent plus 30 per cent gives us 40 per cent from Nasarawa State alone,” he said.
Clearly, Governor Abdullahi Sule has demonstrated the political will to secure lives and property of the good people of the state, hence his administration accorded topmost priority to security. Governor Sule believes that “Security is number one because without it, all we have been looking for in Nasarawa state would not actually come and would not be of any benefit to any one of our people.”
He assured that his administration would continue to support and cooperate with the security agencies and all well- meaning Nigerians towards ensuring the security of lives and property of citizens in Nasarawa state. The donation of operational vehicles and other plethora of support to security agencies in the state underscore the governor’s commitment and determination to walk his talk as far as ensuring the protection of lives and property in the state is concerned.
