Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR on Wednesday, met with the Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, where he was briefed about the security situation of the state.
The Governor also briefed the President on the crisis in the State House of Assembly.
He told State House Correspondents that the President asked about the recent attacks by bandits and the ongoing crisis in the State House of Assembly, where two speakers have emerged.
Asked about the purpose of his visit, he said: “First and foremost, I think Mr President was interested in knowing some of the security challenges we have in the state.
“The State is always an area where some of these few security challenges come up because a lot of these bandits and kidnappers always target Abuja, they think that’s where the money is.
“They usually come between our border and Kaduna, they come between our border and Kogi, our border with Benue, so we had a few of some of those issues. In fact, a few days ago, more than twenty people were kidnapped on the main highway coming to Abuja, but God being so kind, we were able to get all of them back.
“Last week we got some few expatriates who were kidnapped at their site between Garaku and Dari. We were able to get all of them out yesterday (Monday).
“I’m sure Mr President got some of those security reports that some of those issues came up.
Shedding more light on the emergence of two Speakers at the State House of Assembly, the Governor said; “There was also the problem within the House of Assembly, I think Mr President wanted to know more about that. So that’s what I used the opportunity to brief him what is really happening.”
Asked about the assurances he got from the president on security, Governor Sule said; “I saw the commitment from his own side because from what you can see while I’m here, there are already some heads of security agencies that are here, so he said he’s going to discuss with them immediately.
“In the past we had taken joint military operation in the area and he said that is also another option that he will look at. That is the direction that we’re getting.”
President Tinubu also met with the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited Mele Kyari, who said he briefed him about critical national engagements NNPC does on behalf of Nigeria and citizens to keep him abreast of what the corporation is doing.
When asked to comment on the solutions to the situation on ground, like deregulation and others, Kyari said: “I’m aware that Mr President is working on several steps to bring palliatives so that Nigerians can benefit from it, more than anything.
“There’s a structural approach to make sure that Nigerians have access to cheap fuel in the form of CNG and LPG and this is work in progress and I believe that this will be rolled out very soon.”
The President also met with Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Samuel Ogbuku, who briefed him about the status of the agency and what they intend doing to support the administration.
Asked the specific assistance the agency wants from the president, he said; “At least, it’s just an interventionist agency, just to intervene in the underdevelopment of the region. So we have different programmes, but the most important thing is that most of these programmes must be in line with Mr President’s vision.
“So he has asked us to do certain things and get back to him, once we put that together, we’ll get back to him again.”
Also on Wednesday, the President met with two royal fathers from Niger State: the Emir of Borgu, Muhammed Haliru Dantoro; and his counterpart from Kontagora, Mohammed Barau.
Emir of Borgu, said the visit was to congratulate and wish the President the best in his administration.
Asked if he made any requests, he said: “We talked about security challenges, which is also confronting the entire nation and we believe that he’s going to do something.
“We told him about what is going on in our areas and we want him to come to our aid and he’s promised he’s going to do his best in terms of the security challenges, even the entire nation because it’s one of the promises he made during the campaigns, that the issue of insecurity will be history, by the grace of God.”
The former Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Masari, also met with the President.
PIAK
