By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Governor of Niger state, Mohammed Bago, Tuesday, vowed to work in synergy with the federal government and by extension the security agencies to curb the menace of bandits to enable the people of the state return to their normal life of farming.
This is even as he said that under his watch all the Local Government Council Vice Chairpersons will be female as he will work with competent persons irrespective of gender.
Speaking with State House Correspondents after he joined Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) to meet with President Bola Tinubu to congratulate him on the successful election of the Presiding Officers of the 10th National Assembly (NASS), Bago said he is settling down fast to pilot the affairs of Niger state.
The governor also said that already he has made five appointments which are all male and that the next five appointments he will make will be female.
He also assured that there will be no gender disparity as there will be equal distribution of political appointments for male and female.
On why he visited the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the governor said that he came with his colleagues to congratulate Tinubu on the successful elections of the principal officers of NASS, pointing out that “the commitment of the governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is to ensure that the President Tinubu succeeds”.
Answering questions on how his government is going to handle the challenges of banditry ravaging his state, Bago said that the state has a lot of ungoverned spaces as a result of its vast land, adding that he is working with security agencies to curb the menace of bandits.
He refuted the allegation that some LGAs of the state are under the control of bandits, arguing that, “We don’t have any local government that has been taken over by bandits but we have bandits activities in the local government areas.”
He attributed the activities of bandits in Niger state to the vast land mass surrounding it, stressing that Niger shares boundaries with neighbouring countries and some states in the country where pastoralists come in from.
“”With the support of Mr. President the Nigerian security agencies are doing great job so we don’t have any area including Amale town in Niger state under the control of the bandits.
“The activities of bandits in Niger state is due to the vast land mass surrounding it. You are aware that Niger state shares boundaries with West African neighbouring country Benin Republic and some states in the country like Kebbi and Zamfara from where pastoralists come into the state along with bandits”, the Governor explained.
