States are to get the cash they spent on federal roads, it was learnt yesterday.
President Muhammadu Buhari dropped the hint during his visit to Zamfara State after Governor AbdulAziz Yari’s request for the refund of the N56 billion being owed the state on federal road projects it executed.
The President said he had directed Power, Works & Housing Minister Babatunde Fashola to compile all outstanding payments of refunds to the states that implemented federal projects to specifications.
He expressed the hope that the refund would go a long way in addressing the security problems facing Zamfara state.
Yari, who doubles as the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), called for additional deployment of security personnel to the state to check incessant cases of armed banditry across 13 out of the 14 local government areas of the state.
In a presentation, the Secretary to the Zamfara State Government (SSG), Prof. Abdullahi Mohammed, gave an overview of the security challenges in the state in the last eight years, resulting in loss of lives and property.
According to him, the state has been witnessing three types of security crisis, namely cattle rustling, kidnapping for ransom and reprisals attacks.
The SSG explained that Zamfara State had identified eight major flashpoints and made a passionate appeal to the Federal Government to deploy more security in the state.
House of Assembly speaker Sanusi Garba said a fact-finding committee inaugurated last year had enumerated the number of causalities recorded as a result of the activities of bandits in the state.
Zamfara has witnessed cases of attacks by armed bandits with hundreds of innocent people killed and property worth billions of naira carted away or destroyed.
The recent attack by bandits at Birane village in Zurmi Local Government area of the state left over 50 people dead.
President directed security agencies to improve their strategies of intelligence gathering, surveillance and accuracy in deployments, and ensure that criminal activities were brought to an end across the country.
Speaking during an interactive meeting with political leaders, traditional rulers, elders and victims of criminal attacks in Zamfara State, President Buhari assured all security agencies of improved conditions that will facilitate apprehending criminals that steal, maim and kill innocent Nigerians.
He said: “As far as I am concerned, our security agencies have recorded some successes, but they need to do much more.
“They are not to oppress anyone, but they have to gather and send intelligence and warnings when something is about to happen.’’
The President commended the security agencies for eliminating a dreadful criminal, “Buhari general”, who had for many years initiated killings and destruction of properties.
Before “Buharin-daji”, who calls himself a general, there was a criminal who killed many people and he was killed; “Buharin–daji’’ has followed him and others like them should also follow,’’ he added.
