TheCable

Darius Ishaku, governor of Taraba, says governors are helpless in protecting the lives and property of citizens.

On Wednesday, suspected Ambazonia fighters, a separatist group in Cameroon, reportedly attacked Manga community in Takum LGA of Taraba, killing 12 persons.

The community is about 20 kilometres away from the Kashimbila dam and shares border with Cameroon.

Speaking on the incident, Ishaku, in an interview with Channels Television on Thursday, said there is nothing his administration can do to avert the attack since he does not control the security agencies.

The governor said he had complained to the federal government and the military about the threat posed by the separatist group in the Taraba community.

He said if he had the powers to control the police he would have deployed the police in the community, adding that there is a need for state police.

Ishaku said states have to rely on “federal might”, and that no governor has the “solution” to the insecurity in the country.

“We are under the federal government when it comes to the military and police. There is nothing a state government can do. We rely on them,” he said.

“What else can a governor do, if I had complained? What else can I do? I wish I knew if this thing was going to happen yesterday.

“It is not only me that is helpless. All the governors in Nigeria are helpless. I have said it, times without number.

“All the governors in Nigeria are helpless that is why we are saying give us state police. If we have state police, I will have ordered the police.

“All the governors — not only Darius Ishaku — are helpless; not only the Taraba state government that is helpless, all of us.

“The governors are helpless. Go and ask other governors and tell me who has a solution to give. We have to depend on the federal might when it comes to security.

Asked if he had a local security initiative to address insecurity, the governor said: “We have vigilante but what will a vigilante do when he does not have an AK-47? And people are charging at him with AK-47.

He said the federal government must equip security agencies and also ensure that the borders of the country are well-manned.

“I just told you that even the immigration tried their best (referring to when Ambazonia fighters invaded the community). I don’t know which gun the immigration was using. Apparently, maybe the type of normal old gun of cork and fire.

“To be frank with you, even the military needs to be equipped, even the police need to be equipped.

“All these para-military (agencies) need to be equipped. Federal government must decide to equip them and equip them properly.”