By Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Laleye Dipo
The Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje and his Niger State counterpart, Mr. Abubakar Sani Bello have condemned the attack on the Benue State governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom.
Ganduje yesterday disclosed that his colleagues were really worried about last weekend attempt on the life of Ortom.
Ganduje, who addressed journalists after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja, however, submitted that Nigeria would soon overcome the killings and other attacks associated with the security challenges experienced in the country.
Describing the attack on Ortom as unfortunate, the governor wondered if a state chief executive with security compliments could be brazenly attacked, what becomes of an ordinary citizen in the street.
He expressed hope that with the new service chiefs settling down after their appointment, the security situation in the country would definitely change for the better.
According to him, “The attack is unfortunate, but I believe with the appointment of new service chiefs, new strategy will be developed, and I think the president has always been serious on this issue, but is rather unfortunate.
“Not only governors are being attacked, anybody who is attacked in Nigeria, one should be worried because life is life. Certainly, we’re worried because a governor is supposed to have some security with him, let alone an ordinary man who has no security. So you can see how serious the situation is, but we believe we will come over it.”
On his part, Bello has described the attack on the convoy of Ortom by suspected gunmen as a dangerous dimension in the already compounded insecurity challenges facing the country.
Bello, who is the chairman of the North Central State Governors’ Forum, stated this in a statement made available to journalists in Minna, the state capital, yesterday.
He called on the federal government to carry out a thorough investigation into the matter.
In the statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Ms. Mary Noel Berje, the Niger State governor said: “Something urgent and drastic must be done collectively to curtail the situation which is a threat to the country’s corporate coexistence.
“This issue of insecurity in our country needs everyone to be collectively responsible in addressing it irrespective of religious, ethnic and political affiliations.”
He said the North Central Governors’ Forum “is in solidarity with Governor Ortom and the people of Benue State.”
