Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, expressed his concerns that the matter of negotiating with bandits surpasses the responsibilities of the Northern governors.
Inuwa made this remark on Monday during an interview on ‘Prime Time’, a program aired on Arise Television, which was followed by Naijatrial.
He was addressing the recent surge of insecurity troubling the Northern region of the country, where individuals, including women and schoolchildren, are being kidnapped.
“This issue of negotiating with bandits has escalated beyond the Northern Governors; it has become a national concern.
“While security is listed as an exclusive responsibility, the governors are striving to do everything they can to manage the problem of banditry effectively. Security agencies do not take orders from the governors; they follow directives from their commanders.
“Governors must wait for these security agencies to receive instructions from higher authorities, and by the time decisions are made, it could be too late. Therefore, establishing local police forces would enhance security measures,” he stated.