TheCable

Atiku Bagudu, governor of Kebbi, has promised to join local hunters to track bandits in the state.

He stated this on Saturday, when the local hunters in the state paid him a visit, following the recent attack on a school in Kebbi.

On Thursday, gunmen invaded the Federal Government College in Birnin Yauri, and abducted some students and teachers.

While one student is said to have died after the attack, seven other persons have been rescued in a joint operation involving security operatives.

Speaking while addressing the hunters, Bagudu who was in the company of Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti, said as soon as he gets security clearance from troops, he’ll join the hunters on the field.

Fayemi arrived Kebbi on Saturday alongside Badaru Abubakar, governor of Jigawa.

According to a statement by Yahaya Sarki, spokesman to the Kebbi governor, Bagudu said if politicians can mobilise thousands of persons during campaigns, it isn’t out of place to lead field operations to ensure safety of residents.

“We will go out there, and like I promised, the day we will move out, I will not be in the office because we will join you on the field. Also, other governors will leave their people so that we’ll meet on the field,” he said.

“It is the will that bad people cannot triumph, and we will show that we have enough willpower.

“President Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies have been doing the best they could with limited resources. But we also need to mobilise, kit ourselves and take on these bandits.

“Our various scriptures as Muslims and Christians allow us to put our lives at risk in defence of our honour, property and our faiths. In what the bandits are doing, they have challenged all these. So, we can’t let them.

“What happened in Birnin Yauri should be the last straw. We should follow these bandits wherever they are and take them on.”

Bagudu commended security agencies, management of the school, and vigilantes for their combined efforts.

Addressing the hunters, Fayemi said he was in the state as a representative of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).

“We are here in solidarity with our brother, the governor of Kebbi state, and all the good people of Kebbi state on the unfortunate incident at FGC Birnin Yauri,” he said.

“We know the fight the police in Yauri put against the bandits. We know as leaders of local hunters, you will go fight them in the bush and defeat them. Whatever you can do to make it the last one in Kebbi, please put up the effort.”

Responding, Hassan Muhammad, leader of the hunters in Gwandu emirate, promised that the hunters would do their best to secure the release of the remaining abducted persons.