Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has said the state government has concluded arrangements with security agencies, especially Operation Safe Haven to resettle Southern Kaduna displaced communities back to their ancestral homes.
Briefing newsmen shortly after the state’s security council meeting held in Kaduna on Wednesday, he said, “The government will be assisting the displaced people to rebuild their destroyed communities where need arises.”
Flanked by the General Officers Commanding 3 Division and 1 Division Nigerian Army, Maj General AbdulSalam Abubakar and Maj General Valentine Okoro respectively the governor assured that his government is ready to provide all logistics necessary to resettle the displaced communities to their ancestral homes.
Governor Sani reiterated that fighting insecurity is the number one agenda of his administration, stressing that without resolving the security challenges, they might not be able to achieve all the development agenda of the government.
He stressed that the government has invested a lot in the area of development and believed that addressing the problem of insecurity is key, saying that as a government, they have promised to ensure that the people live in a secured environment.
He added, “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 governor explained that the security reports from the security chiefs have shown that they are making progress, and will continue to support them in terms of logistics and technology.
He said that they 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, adding that the security and safety of the people is a fundamental human right of the people, it is not something that government needs to think twice before doing.
According to him, it is their responsibility to make sure that everyone who was displaced as a result of insecurity is returned to their homes safely and government will do that as its responsibility, pointing out that where they need to be supported in terms of rebuilding their community, the government will do that as that is the responsibility of the government.
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
According to him, “what we did at the meeting was that, 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 she measure the milestones of the achievements of Operation Safe Haven, is the ability to relocate from crisis back to their ancestral homes, so that they can resume socioeconomic activities.”
He added that what they are planning to do is to resettle about 15 communities back to their ancestral homes, stressing that they will be needing some logistics which the government will be providing to enable them settle back and start their normal lives once again.
The GOC 1 Division, Maj. General Valentine Okoro, said the government and the security agencies were harmonizing efforts with all security stakeholders in the state to be able to network security architecture to ensure that gaps that were observed in their deliberations are effectively covered.
Going forward, he stated that they are expected to have tighter security, firmer collaborations between all security stakeholders that we believe will enhance peace and security for the people of Kaduna State.
He explained that banditry is the most potent threat in the operational environment and are making efforts to ensure that it is reduced to the barest minimal.
