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The umbrella body of the 36 States Governors, Nigeria Governors Forum, has expressed the frustration of members on the worsening security situation in the country.
The Governors spoke on Tuesday through their Chairman and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, during a visit to their Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, at the Government House in Katsina.
The governors were in Katsina on a solidarity visit to Masari over the kidnap and rescue of 344 students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State.
Fayemi said: “We were sent by all our colleagues to pay a solidarity visit to our elder brother, Governor Aminu Bello Masari, and we thank God that all the kids who were abducted were retrieved without any mishap.
“However, we, as governors, are deeply concerned about the security situation in the North West and the entire country and these things happen almost on daily basis.
“We are all tired, we are all frustrated that these issues are happening, but with concerted efforts on our part as governors and commitment of the Federal Government and professional conduct of our security services and our social investment programmes intensified, we shall see the end of this criminality, this brigandage.
“We will work together and return our country to the path of peace, development, progress and prosperity.
“We want to thank the President for working closely with the government of Katsina State to ensure that the kids were released from the forest of Zamfara State, with the assistance of all the key players involved.
“For us at the NGF, we are going to be tough on the criminals and tough on banditry, kidnappings and criminality generally.
“But we also have to be tough on the causes of this problem: social inequality and poverty are key issues.
“We have find a way of saving our young people from the merchants of death who use them as cannon fodder for this criminal brigandage.
“And we can only do that if we provide them with alternative means of livelihood and support system.
“This is something we are committed to doing as governors so that we don’t keep talking about the same thing over and over again.
“We assure the people of Katsina State that help is on the way.”
Those who were with Fayemi on the solidarity visit were the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; Jigawa State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar Badaru; and Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu.