The Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has presented N80m cheques to families of the forest guards and vigilantes who recently lost their lives during encounters with kidnappers in Babanla, Oke Ode, and Eleyin of Ifelodun and Isin local government areas of the state, respectively.
The governor has also approved N100m support for the families of brave men in Edu and Patigi LGAs, who died in an ambush in July by kidnappers as they set out to confront the criminals in the wake of abductions in the area.
The governor saluted the bravery and patriotism of all 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 while presenting cheques to the families on Monday.
“We will do the needful to keep supporting them and making sure that the state is safe, and our country is 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, Alh. Femi Yusuf, commended the governor’s gesture, which he said will go a long way in ameliorating the suffering of the bereaved families.
He also lauded the governor for his unrelenting efforts to rout out criminals and restore a lasting peace in the affected parts of the state.
The government has meanwhile supplied new logistics support, including fighting equipment and motorcycles, for the forest guards and vigilantes maintained by communities in the flash points.
The new logistics have positioned the forest guards and the vigilantes to better haunt down the kidnappers and defend their communities — a practical complement to the efforts of the conventional security forces.
