By Ummi Ismaeel,
Minna
Niger State government has promised to sponsor the education of the children of members of Niger State Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) who died fighting armed bandits.
The state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, disclosed this in Kontagora, when he interacted with officials and members of the volunteer group, while commending their efforts to taking the fight to the bandits’ hideouts.
The governor also decried the activities of those sabotaging government efforts to end security threats by serving as informants to the bandits.
He expressed government’s preparedness to punish any person caught aiding and abating crime in the state.
The governor also directed that the data of all those killed by the bandits be profiled and forwarded to his office through the Ministry of Local Government, Community Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, while also requesting that a census of all the vigilantes in the state be carried out to enable government provide them stipends to further boost their morale.
The governor, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mary Noel-Berje, however lamented increasing rate of crime and the lean resources to meet numerous needs and therefore solicited for the continued support of citizenry to the administration. Governor Bello advised members of the vigilante group to channel their needs through the Ministry of Local Government, assuring that despite the dwindling fortunes, the state government will support them because ‘‘security of lives and properties is paramount’’.
