Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and the state police command, have warned communities around the Kaduna- Abuja road against blocking highways.
The governor in a statement by Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, described such practice as “detrimental to the activities of innocent citizens whose movement is forced to a halt.”
On its part, the state police command said the incessant blockade of highways by various interest groups in the name of protest without observing due process was unacceptable.
The warnings came following Saturday’s blockade of the Kaduna – Abuja road for several hours by angry youths, who were protesting against persistent attacks, killings and abductions in their communities by bandits.
According to Aruwan, the governor sounded warning when he paid “a confidence building visit” on Saturday, to the communities around the Kaduna-Abuja Road, Chikun Local Government Area, ravaged by bandits.
The communities were said to have been under constant attack by rampaging bandits.
It was learnt that within one week, about six people said killed while a total of about 60 others were said to have been abducted from the various communities in the area.
Aruwan said, the governor, expressed condolences to communities across the state where citizens were killed within the last one week.
He assured that the state government was committed to ensuring the security of lives and property.
The statement said the government was aware of the plights of communities through the daily security reports by security agencies.
Aruwan said El-Rufai who was accompanied on the visit by the Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Hon. Yusuf Zailani, later held a meeting with residence of Kakkau community after clearing the road.
“After ensuring accelerated flow of traffic, the governor held a meeting at Kakkau community which was attended by the village head, Mr. Iliya Garba Zarmai and members of the community.
“The governor condoled communities across the state where citizens were killed within the last one week, and assured them of the state government’s commitment to security of lives and property…
“The governor further assured residents that the government is working resolutely round the clock, with security agencies, in addressing the menace.
“The governor warned against blocking of roads, a practice he described as detrimental to the activities of innocent citizens whose movement is forced to a halt.
“He stressed that such actions would offer no solution, but only create panic and further breakdown of law and order.
“Furthermore, within the last one week, from Monday 14th to Friday 18th June 2021, security agencies reported to the Kaduna State Government several incidences of attacks by armed bandits which left some citizens dead in Kakkau, Damba-Kasaya, Kankomi, Kajuru town, Idasu, Karaukarau, and Sobawa villages in Chikun, Igabi, Giwa and Kajuru local government areas, the statement said.
The Kaduna State Police Command, in its statement, expressed concern over incessant blockage of the Kaduna – Abuja highways which is a gate way to other states in the north west.
The statement signed by Muhammad Jalige, spokesman of the command, said the command was not unmindful of the “security challenges faced by various communities in the state, occasioned by armed banditry and kidnapping which the top management and government are doing everything possible to restore normalcy to the affected areas.”
He called on all stakeholders to be on the same page with security agencies to ensure that the enemies of the state are defeated.
Jalige warned that henceforth such acts “will be viewed seriously according to extant laws of the land.”
