By; BALA B. BITRUS, Minna
Niger State Government has issued stern warning to criminally minded persons masquerading as herders but are engaged in cattle rustling, banditry and other security breaches to change their trades to more acceptable ventures or risks the full wrath of the law against criminalities.
Secretary to the State Government, (SSG), Hon. Ibrahim Isa Ladan stated om Monday while receiving participants of the Senior Course 39 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, (NIPSS), Kuru in Jos who were on Local Study Tour of Niger state, that the activities of some criminally herders have caused untold hardship and pains to the state and it’s citizens.
Hon. Ladan told the participants that government was seriously worried over the dastardly activities of herds rustlers in parts of the state where they have continued to launch Buffalo-like attacks and assaults on innocent citizens and retreat to their hideouts.
He said the government has called for synergy and assistance with relevant security agencies to collaborate with it in the fight to check the ugly development and to guarantee ample security cover to human lives and properties by finding lasting solution to cattle rustling and other criminal activities in the state by men of the underworld.
Ladan lamented that agriculture which was the mainstay of the nation’s economy before the advent and discovery of crude oil which has inadvertently brought pains to us as a nation, should be given a second look and serious consideration.
The SSG, told the visiting NIPPS students that Niger state has the largest land mass in the country about 80% of which is fertile and arable to farming and other forms of agricultural practices.
The SSG told his guests that the state government was exploring all the advantage of the agricultural transformation programmes of the Federal Government to cash in on their gains for the benefits of it’s citizens.
The SSG said the revamping of the Sunti Golden Sugar Estate which lies on the Sugarcane belt of the state would boost productivity, increase farmer’s income and create job opportunities in the state and the country at large.
Earlier, the Head of the delegation, Brigadier General Chinoko had told the SSG that they were in Minna to undertake Local Study tour of Niger state as they work on the theme ”Science, Innovation and Technology for the development of Agriculture and Agro-allied development in Nigeria”.
Gen. Chinonko said other teams from the institute were on study tour to other states in the northern parts of the country. The teams would thereafter proceed to the six Southern states of the federation for similar study tours.
