Press Release

The Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and Kebbi State Governor,Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu on Saturday vowed that ,himself , other Governors and other stakeholders are ready to join the ongoing search operations for the abducted students and staff of the Federal Government Girls’ College, Birnin Yauri.

Bagudu spoke during the solidarity visit by local hunters to him which also coincided with the sympathy and commiseration visit by Nigeria Governors’ Forum Chairman , Dr Kayode Fayemi and his Jigawa State counterpart, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar.

According to Bagudu, he will discuss with his colleagues and security agencies in this direction, so as not to jeorpardise the ongoing commendable operations to rescue the abducted students and staff.

He said, ‘” But, we will go out there and like I promised, the day we will move out , I will not be in the office because we will join you in the field.

” Also, other Governors will leave their people so that we meet in the field .”

The Kebbi State Governor said that, this will be done barring all consequences ,in the bid to rescue the abductees.

Bagudu averred that, it is not weapons that win war, but,” it is the will that bad people cannot triumph and we will show that, we have enough will power .

” President Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies have been doing the best they could with limited resources.

” But, we also need to mobilize , kit ourselves and take on these bandits . Our various Scriptures as Muslims and Christians allow us to put our lives at risk in defence of our honour, property and our Faiths.

” In what the bandits are doing, they have challenged all these , so , we can’t let them .”

Bagudu asked the hunters to go back and fully mobilize, pending when he gets the necessary clearance from the security agencies , adding, ” and we will meet in the field.”

The Governor maintained that, the Governors were not sworn in only to sit down in the office and work.

Bagudu stated that, they were aware that , one day they will be required to lead in the field, although they are not military or police.

He said that, if hundreds of thousands of people can be mobilized during campaigns, same should be doing now and join the search operations.

He said, ” what happened in Birnin Yauri should be the last straw . We should follow these bandits wherever they are and take them on.”

Bagudu also described the abduction as very callous , even as he lauded the security agencies, management of the school , Yan Sakai and vigilantes for their heroic efforts since the bandits struck at the college .

The Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum,NGF Dr. Kayode Feyemi while commiserating with Governor, Bagudu said he was in the state as representative of Nigerian governors in solidarity with Government and people of the Kebbi State to also commiserate over the unfortunate incident of banditry attack at FGC Birnin Yauri.

He commended the effort of the governor in making sure that schools in Kebbi get the necessary protection.

He also acknowledged the effort of the security for putting up a good fight against the bandits at the school.

‘ we are here in solidarity with our brother , the governor of Kebbi State and all the good people of Kebbi State on the unfortunate incident in Yauri , at FGC Birnin Yauri.

” We know the fight the police in Yauri put against the bandits “, he averred.

The governor also charged the local hunters and the vigilantes to go after the bandits, annihilate them and bring back the school children.

” We know as leaders of local hunters you will go fight them in the bush and defeat them.

“Whatever you can do to make it the last one in Kebbi, please put up the effort’, he charged the hunters .

The NGF Chairman also conveyed the sympathy message of President Muhammad Buhari to people of Kebbi State expressing how deeply concerned he is over the Birnin Yauri incident.

He fervently prayed it will be the first and last incident of school attack in Kebbi State.

In the same vein , the Jigawa State Governor, Badaru Abubakar while commiserating with governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu over the incident also expressed delight with success recorded in rescuing some of the students and staff of the school.

Badaru was also happy with the zeal and eagerness demonstrated by the local hunters and the vigilantes to partake in the rescue operation.

He charged them to confront them with all their arsenal until they are no more .

Earlier, the leaders of the local hunters who led their members to Government House, Birnin Kebbi told the governor of their readiness to join the fight against the bandits until the school children were rescued.

The leader of the hunters in Gwandu emirate, Hassan Muhammad, Sarkin Dajin Sarkin Gwandu told governor Bagudu that they were in Government House to show their solidarity with the rescue effort as well as join the security agents in fighting the bandits.

According to him, they have no fear whatesover in facing the bandits to save the school children but require the support of the government.

He averred ‘ We have no fear to go to any bush , we have our magical skills but will not disclose them here until we are in the bush.

Similarly, other leaders of the Local hunters from Argungu and Augie local government reaffirmed their resolve to lend a helping hand in the rescue operation.

‘ Our local hunters would join the operation as they are also ready to sacrifice their lives for success of the mission’

They requested for logistics assistance for their members and the vigilante from the government .

Alhaji Sani Hukuma Zauro, one of the elders of the hunters was full of praises for governor Bagudu .

‘ We are in solidarity with governor Bagudu, we aware of his prompt intervention and the positive results so far recorded in the rescue operation”, he said.

He described the quick response of the governor on the rescue effort as highly commendable pointing out that no governor has achieved such a feat in Nigeria in similar situation of abduction.

Zauro warned criminals to stay away from Kebbi State as they have no hiding place.

Signed,

YAHAYA SARKI
Special Adviser (SA) Media to Kebbi State Governor
19/6/2021