The Kaduna state government has concluded arrangements in collaboration with Operation Safe Haven and other security agencies to resettle Southern Kaduna communities displaced by bandits back to their ancestral homes, Governor Uba Sani has said.
Addressing journalists shortly after the state security council meeting at Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, Kaduna on Wednesday, Governor Sani, who was flanked by the General Officers Commanding 3 Division and 1 Division Nigerian Army, Maj General AbdulSalam Abubakar and Maj General Valentine Okoro, respectively, said government was ready to provide all logistics necessary to resettle the displaced communities in their ancestral homes. He said government will assist the displaced people to rebuild their destroyed communities where the need arises.
According to the governor: “Fighting insecurity is the number one agenda of this administration because we believe without resolving the security challenges, we might not be able to achieve all that development agenda of our government. We have invested a lot in the area of development, but I believe addressing the problem of insecurity is key. And as a government, we have promised to ensure that our people live in a secured environment.
“We have been able to achieve a lot and we will not relent, we will continue to fight the bandits, the insurgents and the criminals within Birnin Gwari and Southern Kaduna axis. The security reports from the security chiefs have shown that we are making progress, and we will continue to support them in terms of logistics and technology. We are working together with Operation Safe Haven under the command of the GOC 3 Division, General Abubakar on the resettlement of displaced Southern Kaduna communities.”
The GOC 3 Division and Commander Operation Safe Haven, Major General AbdulSalam Abubakar, in his remarks, said the first phase of the resettlement, will start with 15 communities.
“We reviewed the security situation in Kaduna state, but for me, I am responsible for Southern Kaduna. So, we have made some projections to His Excellency, because one of the ways to measure the milestones of the achievements of Operation Safe Haven, is the ability to relocate the people from crisis back to their ancestral homes, so that they can resume socioeconomic activities.
“So, what we are planning to do right now is to resettle about 15 communities back to their ancestral homes. But, they will be needing some logistics which the government will be providing to enable them settle back and start their normal lives once again,” he said.
