From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has said President Muhammadu Buhari was not aware of the threats by terrorists to abduct him.
He said he was the one who told him of the threats to his life.
In a video released at the weekend, the terrorists who abducted some train passengers in March, threatened to abduct both Buhari and El-Rufai.
Governor El-Rufai explained that for the past five years, he has been calling for the bombing of terrorists camps wherever they are, saying it’s the only solution to the problem.
Speaking on a Radio Programme on Wednesday night, the governor also said himself had been warned to be careful including his family members.
“Insecurity is a major challenge and the disturbing thing is that, despite our efforts at the state level, the situation is getting worse. It is affecting our efforts to bring investors into the state and even those that have invested, their business is not moving as expected.
“For example, there is a company that is mining iron ore and turning it into iron here in Kagarko Local Government, they were supposed to finish building the company last month but due to security challenges, especially since the attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train, their expatriates that were supposed to come from abroad to install their machines said they cannot come. That is even talking about those that have already invested, not to talk about those we are trying to bring in. The insecurity is really setting us back.
“Our hope is that Federal Government will use its military might and other security apparatus to deal with these terrorists, because I have always said it and people of Kaduna State know that I have been saying it since about five years ago that we should use the land and air army to bomb these people out of existence. There is no way to end this challenge except we do that.
“Now, it has got to a level where terrorists will go to Kuje prison and free their people. And they even did a video where they were threatening to abduct President Muhammadu Buhari and myself and take us to their jungle.
“People have always told me that, me and my family should be careful. But, how come we would be a nation where we have the military, the police but some terrorists will come out and threaten to abduct the president.
“If before now people thought it is a problem that is only affecting states like Zamfara, Katsina, Niger and Kaduna, now it has come home. We must rise up and deal with these people (terrorists).
“What happened within this week is what made me to seek to see the president and I called him that I needed to see him. So, he gave me appointment for Sunday and I went to see him. Then, I told him about the recent developments, particularly the video released by the terrorists. In fact, up till that moment, he was not even aware. So, I told and the following day, that is on Monday, the Zamfara State Governor, Bello Mattawalle, confirmed to him that he even saw the video. So, we need to take action.
“The president told me that, he met with the Service Chiefs the previous week before I met him, like three or four days before I met him and that he gave them very clear directive that they must carry out comprehensive military operation to finish these people. By God’s grace, we will see the end of these challenges. Our hope is that the military and police that were given this directive will hurry up and carry out the operation.
“Waiting for them to attack before we respond is not what will bring an end to these challenges. It is compulsory that we take the battle to their doorsteps and deal with them.”