Says state govts’ hands are tied

Katsina spent N7.2bn in 7 years on complementary allowances of security agencies

The hot air of a few gubernatorial candidates in Katsina State and other states to end terrorism and insecurity, if elected, on Friday suffered deflation as the longest serving Secretary to the Government of Katsina State Government, Dr. Mustapha Inuwa, declares that state governments’ hands are tied over the challenge.

Speaking against the background of Katsina Government experience since inception of the present democratic dispensation, Dr. Inuwa said it is impossible for any governor to make a pronouncement on curtailing insecurity and terrorism and actualize it.

Addressing journalists in Katsina, the former SGS turned Director General of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council in the state, decried the helplessness of the All Progressive Congress (APC) led Federal Government to end the terrorism in the land, saying FG does not lack the instruments or manpower but political will to meet the challenge.

Taking further critical look at the state of the nation, he submitted that the APC led federal government had been less than decisive in handling of the security situation in Katsina, north west zone and in parts of the country.

Condemning the perception that the outgoing Katsina State Government in which he (Dr. Inuwa) served seven years as SGS achieved little in the fight against terrorism, he said there was no further proof needed by critics than the fact that the Governor Aminu Bello Masari spent N7.2bn on complementary allowances for the forces that fought insurgency and insecurity in the state between 2015 and 2022.

Dr. Inuwa lamented that the colossal amount could have been expended on socio – economic growth and development of the state and its people if federal government had risen up to its sole responsibility: protection of lives and property of Nigerians. 

He cautioned that it would amount to wishful thinking for anyone to expect adequate prevention from the avoidable loss of lives and property if the nation remained saddled with APC led government that would continue to be slack in security arrangement.

His words: “Insecurity in Katsina State is not a new phenomenal particularly to me since when, God rest the soul of late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, I served in his cabinet and insecurity was part of what I handled and to this administration when I served as SGS, and most of the insecurity issues were done in my office.

“This issue of insecurity, 80 out of 100 per cent fight is the sole responsibility of the federal government and we discussed, we wrote not once, twice, thrice but on countless times and in all meetings we attended even in the Villa.

“If we want to bring to an end this terrorism, from what I know, and saw, of a truth, if Federal government means to end it , earnestly it will end.”

Throwing more light on the issue, Dr. Inuwa said: “The truth is,  a governor can only say but he cannot do anything about it because he doesn’t have the right to exercise the power of federal government.”

He added, “I spoke my mind even in the Aso Villa and the only person that supported my idea was Monguno, S. A.  Security to President Buhari.”

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