Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, Governor of Kano state has lamented failure of the Federal Government to take over the Ration Cash Allowance (RCA) and feeding of the military Joint Task Force (JTF) fighting terrorism in the state.
He regretted that the state Government has been responsible for the welfare of JTF since it was constituted following the spate of terror attacks in the ancient commercial city.
According to Kwankwaso, the RCA that was supposed to be remitted to the state by the Federal Government to carter for the operations of the JTF was abandoned for the state government to take responsibility.
The Governor who spoke in Kan Government House while receiving the newly posted Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), David Omojola said that unlike other states where the Federal Government partner with them by releasing their RCA as at when due, Kano has been starved of the security fund.
“For two years running now my government foot the bills for JTF and other security operations in the state, the federal authorities have never given us even a Kobo, though they are given to other state affected by the same crisis,” Kwankwaso stated.
Kwankwaso also decried the low population of Police men in Kano, saying that it was improper to have below 9,000 Police men in Kano adjudged as the most populated state in the country, while Lagos has over 30,000 Police men.
He said if the Nigerian Police can recruit, Kano Government would be ready to facilitate their training, pointing out that since most police men were skeptical of serving in Kano, it would be better to recruit indigenes who can freely serve in the state in view of the security situation.
To better security situation in troubled states in the North, including Kano, Kwankwaso urged the Federal Government to support security agencies with modern detective equipments such as scanning machines and close circuit cameras to enable them work effectively.
He, however, promised to give all necessary support to ensure that the new AIG of Zone 1 which is headquartered in Kano succeeds in his duty.
Speaking to newsmen in his office after visiting the Governor, AIG Omojola said that already, about 700 police men were deployed to boost operations in Kano, adding that his Zone was committed to ensure that lives and properties are save.
According to him, his mission to Zone 1 was to ensure peace and order in all the states under him, just as he urged all stake-holders including politicians, religious leaders, community and traditional rulers to cooperate with the police and other security agencies to ensure that peace and stability are maintained in the Zone.
Omojola also commented on the attack on the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, saying that Police are making progress in the course of their investigation, “but what I would not want to do is to pre-empt investigation; very soon, we shall let you know our findings when investigation is concluded,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, (rtd), Mr. Azubukor Udah has advised the Federal Government to insist on the surrendering of arms by the Boko Haram militants as measure towards demonstrating their sincerity in the cease-fire announced by the sect last Monday.
The former Police boss was a member of the Federal Government Niger-Delta Disarmament Committee said anything short of that should not be accepted by the authorities because to him, that was the process in the Niger-Delta amnesty case.
Aside from that, Udah further suggested that the Sect should follow this up with a formal letter seeking Federal Government’s amnesty for its militants in addition to apologizing to Nigerians, in writing for the massacre of innocent citizens in the North.
“This is not the first time we are hearing of cease-fire by the sect after which more deadly attacks would be experienced, so for us to be convinced of their sincerity in the recent statement, they must surrender their arms to the Federal Government before any response should be made.
“This is what happened in the Niger-Delta situation of which I was a member of the Disarmament Team, they surrendered their arms and demanded for amnesty. So, that of Boko Haram cannot be a different case,” he stated.
However, some prominent northern leaders have expressed excitement over the decision by the leadership of Boko Haram sect to lay down their arms in order to pave way for dialogue with the federal government.
A commander of the sect, Sheikh Abu Mohammed Abdulaziz bn Idris announced the ceasefire at a news conference with reporters on Monday in Maiduguri, saying the action was to allow for dialogue with government to ensure lasting peace in the country.
Commenting on the development, three prominent northerners Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, Alhaji
Mamman Danmusa and Alhaji Lawal Kaita noted that the decision has provided hope for Nigerians particularly the northern region that the conflict destabilizing the region will soon abate.
In the words of Lawal Kaita, former civilian governor of old Kaduna state “any decision that will end the insurgency and restore peace in the region and country is a welcome development,so its my hope this time around the ceasefire works for good, even though some of us may be a bit confuse regarding the authenticity of the information, however the government should grab the opportunity to reach the party”.
Former deputy senate president Mamman Danmusa in his own remarks appealed to government not to allow this opportunity to sleep, but rather grab it for the peace of the country “it is a good omen because this the first time a leader of the sect is identifying himself publicly and this is why government should be serious about it”.
For elder statesman and second republic presidential adviser Yakasai, “it is a welcome development, I always believe that in a situation like that, dialogue is the only option. We have seen the game of dialogue in Niger-Delta situation, Northern Ireland and Sudan. I. Hope this ceasefire will mark the beginning of the end of this national tragedy”.
“Let us try the offer now and see how it will work, if before it failed there is no harm of trying it again. I am optimistic it will work.”