Gov. Nasir Idris of Kebbi has appealed for the establishment of a military base in Arewa Local Government Area of the State to beef up security in the area.
Speaking on Wednesday – yesterday, March 12 – in an interview with journalists shortly after a condolence visit to Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) camp at Kangiwa, headquarters of Arewa Local Government Area, where 11 people were killed and villages burnt in a Lakurawa attack, the Governor expressed sadness over the ugly incident, urging the federal government to consider establishing a military base in the local government as a deterrent to further attacks.
Seven villages, namely Dogon Daji, Danmarke, Yar Goru, Tambo, Birnin Debi, Garin Nagoro and Garin Rugga, all in Arewa LGA, were practically burnt down by the Lakurawa terror group’s bandits in a vicious attack on Sunday, March 9.
According to Idris, if established, the base would reduce the length of time it currently takes security agents to respond to distress calls from surrounding villages.
While promising to assist the affected communities in the IDP camp to repair their houses, the Governor assured that they would not stay long as refugees.
Idris directed the LG council to ensure that enough cooked food was supplied to the IDPs, instructing that a big cow should be slaughtered at an interval of four days.
According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Governor directed that two big rams be slaughtered for each of the four babies by four women in the camp shortly after the attack, their naming ceremony day and each mother should be supplied with all necessary baby things.
Idris pleaded with the affected victims to accept the will of God Almighty in good faith and continuously pray to Allah (SWT) to bring an end to the security challenges bedeviling the state and the nation at large.
Earlier, the council Chairman, Arewa LGA, Alhaji Sani Aliyu, lauded the Governor for sending a powerful delegation of Commissioners under the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Yakubu Bala-Tafida, who attended the funeral prayer of the deceased while he was out of the state.
He commended the State government’s efforts in the area of security, attributing the recent development to reprisal attacks by the suspected Lakurawa members.
In their separate testimonies, some villagers, Malam Aliyu Sani, Buhari Sani and Halima Musa said the Lakurawa bandits invaded their villages, killed people, and set houses ablaze, including the main Juma’at Mosque.
