By GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna

The Kebbi State Government, Sunday, donated 10 Hilux vehicles and 30 motorcycles to the Police Command, to boost its statewide operations.

The vehicles and motorcycles were handed over to the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Adeleke Adeyinka, by the State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Security, Major Garba Rabi’u Kamba (rtd).

According to the governor, the gesture was necessitated by the unwavering commitment of his administration to ensure the safety of lives and property of all the law abiding citizens of the state.

He said that, the state government would not rest on its oars in ensuring that no innocent life was lost, while all law-abiding citizens must sleep with their two eyes closed.

Bagudu acknowledged with concern how the North-West, Kebbi has been experiencing some disturbing trends of insecurity like banditry, kidnappings and cattle rustling, among other criminal activities.

This ugly trend, Bagudu said, “was more prevalent in the southern axis of the state, especially in Zuru and Yauri emirates.”

Similarly, he decried the obnoxious rise of the formation of self-appointed vigilante groups, ‘Yan Sakai’, in the same southern axis of the state.

“Consequently, the state Police Command has made some deployments of a squadron and units of mobile police men in those areas.

“These vehicles are therefore aimed at facilitating the effective operations of the mobile policemen and the operatives of the Counter terrorism units.

“This is part of our modest efforts to provide an enabling environment for the Officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force, to succeed in their operations, hence stem the tide of these security challenges,” he said.

Bagudu also promised sustained support to all the security agencies to safeguard lives and property of all the innocent, law-abiding citizens.

The Kebbi State Governor also appealed to the people of the state to continue to be law-abiding, as well as endeavor to offer credible intelligence information to the security agencies.

Doing so, Bagudu stated, would assist the security agencies to nip crimes in the bud and, as such, make Kebbi State and Nigeria more secure.

Responding, Police Commissioner Adeyinka thanked the Kebbi State Government and Governor Atiku Bagudu for the logistics support to the police.

“I want to thank the Kebbi State Governor, Government and good people of Kebbi State for the 10 number Hilux vehicles and 30 number motorcycles,’ he said.

The CP assured the State Government of proper use of the vehicles strictly for the purpose they were meant for.

“Secondly to give assurance that the vehicles would not be abused, but use for the purpose for which they were meant for,” he said.

He also promised the Kebbi State Government of the Command’s readiness to tackle the prevailing insecurity in the Southern part of the state head-on.

The state police chief called on the vigilante groups in the state to join hands and work together with the police towards curtailing insecurity in the state.

“I want to use this medium to appeal to our friends, the vigilante groups on board, they are just to assist us, they are not to cause problem for us. If we work together, we will not quarrel,” he said.

He also warned the bandits from Zamfara State to stay away from Kebbi as the police in the state were ready to face them.

The Kebbi State Government had in February this year donated eight Hilux vehicles and 20 motorcycles to the 1 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Dukku Barracks, Birnin Kebbi, in order to bolster security in the state.

The Acting Head of Service, Alhaji Safayanu Bena, and Alhaji Aliyu Labaran, Director Careers and Special Services, were at the event.

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