Kaduna State Government has concluded arrangements in collaboration with the security agencies – ‘Operation Safe Haven’ to resettle Southern Kaduna communities displaced by bandits back to their ancestral land.
This was made known by the state Governor, Senator Uba Sani, while briefing newsmen shortly after the state’s security council meeting held at Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, Kaduna on Wednesday.
In attendance at the meeting were the General Officers Commanding 3 Division and 1 Division Nigerian Army, Maj General AbdulSalam Abubakar, Maj General Valentine Okoro.
Sani said the government was ready to provide all logistics necessary to resettle the displaced communities to their ancestral homes.
According to him, the government will be assisting the displaced people to rebuild their destroyed communities where need arises.
The governor said, “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, bu I believe addressing the problem of insecurity is key. And as a government, we have to 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. This is because the security and safety of our people is a fundamental human right of the people, it is not something that government needs to think twice before doing.
“It is our responsibility to make sure that everyone that was displaced as a result insecurity, is returned to their homes safely and government will do that as its responsibility. Where they need to be supported in terms of rebuilding their community we will do that. That is the responsibility of the government.”
Earlier in his remarks GOC 3 Division and Commander Operation Safe Haven, Major General AbdulSalam Abubakar, had said the first phase of the resettlement, would start with 15 communities
He said, “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.
“So, what we are planning to do that 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.”
On his part, the GOC 1 Division, Maj-Gen. 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, we expect 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 added. ENDS…
