Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq at the weekend presented 80 million naira cheques to families of the forest guards and vigilante who recently lost their lives during encounters with kidnappers in Babanla, Oke Ode, and Eleyin of Ifelodun and Isin Local Government Areas of the state.
The Governor has also approved N100m support for the families of brave men in Edu and Patigi who died in an ambush in July by kidnappers as the former set out to confront them in the wake of abductions in the area.
The Governor saluted the bravery and patriotism of all the victims and prayed God to repose their souls.
“We pray for the souls of the deceased. It was an unfortunate incident. They died in active service. Government cannot but sympathise with the families,” the Governor said in Ilorin while presenting cheques to the families at the weekend.
“We will do the needful to keep supporting them and making sure that the state is safe, and our country is safe.
“As you can see, the military has moved in with full force. We look forward to supporting the Nigerian Army and other security agencies as they chase the criminals out of the state.”
The meeting was attended by Chairman, Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority and a chieftain of APC from Asa, Alhaji Abdullateef Gidado Alakawa; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security, Alhaji Muyideen Aliyu; Chairman of Ifelodun, Alhaji Femi Yusuf; Chairman of Ilorin West, Mall Shehu AbdulRahaman Ladan; Chairman of Asa, Alhaji Shehu Yahaya; and families of the victims.
Alakawa and Yusuf, in their separate remarks, commended the Governor’s gesture, which they said will go a long way in ameliorating the suffering of the bereaved families.
They also lauded the Governor for his unrelenting efforts to rout out criminals and restore a lasting peace in the affected parts of the state.
The Government has meanwhile supplied new logistics support, including fighting equipment and motorcycles, for the forest guards and vigilantes maintained by communities in the flash points.
The new logistics have positioned the forest guards and the vigilantes to better haunt down the kidnappers and defend their communities — a practical complement to the efforts of the conventional security forces.