Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State on Monday in Lafia distanced the state government from the setting up of a Fulani vigilance group in the state.
He dissociated the state government from the group when members of the House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Hon Danladi Jatau, paid him a solidarity visit after his Supreme Court re-election verdict.
The governor said that the state government did not recognise the Fulani vigilance group just as it had not endorsed any other such group.
Sule said the Executive arm of government would have sent a bill for the establishment of the group to the Legislature if government was involved in it.
“We have not recognised any vigilance group.
“As far as we are concerned, there is only one vigilance group recognised by the Federal Government which we have also recognised in the state.
“We have recognised community policing,’’ the governor stressed.
He added that his administration would continue to promote peace in the state, stressing that security agencies were already investigating the issue of the Fulani vigilance group.
“The security agencies are already investigating the issue. We refused to be part of it because it was purely issues of the security agencies,’’ he said.
Gov. Sule said also that as a peace promoter, he would never encourage insecurity in Nasarawa State.
He appreciated the speaker for being up and doing in uniting members of the House as well as for preaching unity and peace among communities in the state.
Sule also thanked the legislators for giving the government all necessary and needed support to succeed.
Earlier, the speaker assured of the legislature’s preparedness to cooperate with the governor for the overall development of Nasarawa State.
He assured of his continued determination to unite members of the House and to preach unity and peace to various communities in the state.
On Jan. 17, the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Sociocultural Association launched a 1,114-member Nomad Volunteer Vigilance Group in Lafia.
The association’s national president, Alhaji Abdullahi Bodejo, said at the launch that the volunteer vigilantes would adhere strictly to Nigeria’s existing laws in their operations.
He said its primary objective was to address various security challenges, including banditry, kidnapping, and cattle rustling in Nasarawa State.
Bodejo urged the volunteers to work in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies to ensure a more comprehensive approach to security across Nasarawa State.
He assured that the group was not created to replace or undermine the nation’s security agencies but to complement their work. (NAN)
By Awayi Kuje
