Ali Abare, Gombe
Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State has described the North East region as ‘among the world’s most trouble spots’ considering the number of people being killed, attacked, displaced or are facing security challenges.
Governor Dankwambo stated this while receiving, in his audience at the Government House, AIG in charge of Zone 3 comprising Adamawa, Gombe and Taraba states, Mr. Cornelius Kayode Aderanti.
The governor said the North East could be compared to any of the unstable regions in the world.
“I’m sure when you see statistics of the NE, it can be compared to any unstable region in the world, in terms of the people being killed, number of people attacked and displaced as well as the number of being challenged in terms of security,” he said.
Governor Dankwambo, however, expressed hope that though the challenges were enormous, they were surmountable.
While commending President Muhammadu Buhari dispatching tried and tested security personnel to the zone as well as showing concern and interest in the problems of the zone, Governor Dankwambo urged the president not to relent until peace was restored to the region.
He said his administration would continue to support security agencies in the bid to provide one of the core objectives of government, which is the provision of peace and security.
The governor also disclosed plans to renovate police stations destroyed by the Boko Haram in Nafada, Dadin Kowa, Kwadon and Bojude, adding that government is awaiting designs from the police command to rebuild the Gombe Division also destroyed by the Boko Haram.
He said mechanisms have been put in place to ensure that interaction between farmers and herdsmen was reduced to a minimal.
“Interaction between farmers and herdsmen are minimal, where issues arise, we quickly intervene so that it does not escalate,” he said.
AIG Aderanti, who was on a working visit to the state as part of efforts to tackle insecurity in the North East region, told the governor that he was in the state to interact with officers and men in the Gombe command as well as all critical stakeholders.
Aderanti, however, drew the attention of Governor Dankwambo to the prevailing crisis involving herdsmen and farmers mostly during planting and harvesting seasons noting, however, that, so far, Gombe State has been able to effectively address the issue.
He commended the state government for its support to the police in terms of purchasing Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) as well as logistics to ease the work of policing the state among others.
While promising to ensure that everything was done to ensure that the state remains peaceful, Aderanti also expressed appreciation for the effort of government to refurbish police structures destroyed at the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency. The AIG and the governor thereafter went into a closed door meeting.
Earlier, while addressing critical stakeholders at the office of the Commissioner of Police, Aderanti described policing as being germane to any society, stressing that the backbone of any country is an efficient police service capable of delivering efficient and effective security.
According to AIG Aderanti, there would not be any development without security as investors would not be able to invest which would lead to unemployment.
He showed appreciation for the collaborative effort between sister agencies as well as all stakeholders and for making Gombe State the most peaceful in the North East.
Aderanti, however, enjoined the people of the state to always support the police by giving the command actionable intelligence.