Governor Nasir El-Rufai has raised concerns about the emergence of Boko Haram elements, terrorists’ enclave and the activities of ANSARU insurgents in Birnin Gwari and Chukun local government areas of Kaduna State.

The governor also expressed concerns over the high incidence on the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the state, which suggests that terrorists have moved into the state.

El-Rufai made the disclosure after the presentation of the Kaduna State Security Incident Report of the first quarter of 2022, which took place at the Council Chambers of Sir Kashim Ibrahim House.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1st Mechanised Division, Commissioner of Police and Heads of para-military formations as well as civil society organisations, including senior government officials and traditional rulers were in attendance.

The governor disclosed that the debriefing of the first Abuja-Kaduna train kidnap victim to be released indicated that the terrorists were making comments like “the forests in Kaduna are even better than that of Sambisa and so they should all relocate here.”

According to El-Rufai, “The problem of insecurity now has moved from the North-East to the North-West.

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“The situation in the North-West is far more serious and could be potentially more dangerous than we have ever had in the North-East. And we would like the military and security agencies to take notice of this before it goes out of control.”

The governor also warned about the high incidence in the use of IEDs and mines in Kaduna State, adding that “we have been lucky and thanks to the police, we have been able to defuse many of the IEDs without loss of lives.”

He argued that it shows very clearly “a movement from banditry to terrorism with expertise in making explosive devices. And again this is because Boko Haram and ANSARU elements have moved into the state.”

El-Rufai lamented the very high rate of drug abuse in the state, but commended the state Task Force which is led by NDLEA, traditional leaders and community leaders “that have been giving us confidential information to guide the action of NDLEA.”

The governor stated that the government will seek legal advise on whether it can authorise the Kaduna State Urban and Planning Development Authority (KASUPDA) to act so  “that any patent medicine store that is selling these drugs should be shut down and the building acquired by the government and demolished.”

“But I think we have to take drastic action because related to every form of criminality, from banditry to terrorism to any other thing, you will see that drugs play a major role.

“These bandits take drugs before they commit their crimes; virtually every crime is related to drug abuse. I think we must cut the supply chain to enable us control the demand,” he added.

The governor noted that “from what we can see, the security agencies are overstretched and we need to ramp up the recruitment of our vigilant service volunteers. I think that the 1,000 that we recruited and trained, at the police college have been very useful in assisting the army, police and other security agents.”

El-Rufai said that he would like to see the resumption of flights at the Kaduna International Airport.

“We are grateful to the Defence Headquarters for enabling the establishment of the NDA demonstration battalion. But I will like to appeal to the Airforce whose AOR includes the Kaduna International Airport, to also have some kind of permanent deployment at the airport to secure it, so that flights will resume,” the governor said.

The Star