The Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), and Ekiti Gov. Kayode Fayemi on Friday led a two-man delegation of the forum to Kaduna State to commiserate with the government and people on the March 28 Abuja- Kaduna train attack.
Persecondnews.com recalls that the bloody attack and bombing of the rail tracks to derail the wheeled vehicles had claimed at least eight lives while many passengers were seriously injured and over 100 kidnapped.
The NGF also donated N50 million to support victims of the attack.
Addressing Gov. Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, the NGF Chairman expressed deep sympathy to Kaduna State and its people and described the attack as “mind-boggling” due to the huge number of casualties and other fatalities.
He said “everything is currently unnecessarily revolving around 2023″; the election year, stressing the need to secure the country.
“We are here to commiserate with you, your Government and the people of Kaduna State, to show solidarity with them and align with the Governor who as a public servant all his life, has been a focused leader from who we must learn, to ensure peace in our communities.
“I agree that we as Governors must join hands with the President to deal ruthlessly with the bandits, that they be crushed, as you have always advocated,” Fayemi said.
He urged the governor not to relent in his efforts at building the state, adding that he “should continue to be the leader that he has always been.”
In his remarks, El-Rufai welcomed the party and used the opportunity to respond to his deputy, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, whom he said has been in the forefront of finding solutions to the problem from the beginning.
According to the governor, 61 Kaduna indigenous are still recuperating from the train attack, including a top government official and his 8-months pregnant wife.
He also disclosed that the bandits are currently hiding somewhere in Niger State, as he regretted that the attack was avoidable because the state government had tipped off the Nigeria Railway Corporation ahead of the incident.
On her part, the Deputy Governor also welcomed the delegation to Kaduna State and called the train attack a demoralising experience which she prayed the state never witnessed again.
Balarabe noted that the NGF and its members have been “such good friends whose support the state values and places high premium on.”
She pledged that the Kaduna State Government will continue to do its best in supporting the security forces in the state to accomplish the task of securing lives and property, while still working hard to find lasting solutions to the problem, in such a way that it never repeats itself.
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