Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Tuesday visited the six soldiers who were recently injured in a counterterrorism operation in Kaiama, Kaiama Local Government, commending them for their gallantry and resilience.
Three brave soldiers paid a supreme price during the fierce encounter in which several of the terrorists were eliminated.
The Governor, who again announced N20m support for each of the fallen soldiers and N5m each for those injured, said the sacrifices of the security forces are priceless.
He was received at the facility by the Executive Secretary, Kwara State Hospitals Management Board, Dr Malik Abdulraheem; Chief Medical Director of KWASUTH, Dr. Bola Ahmed AbdulKadir; and some security heads.
“We are here to see the soldiers that got injured in the recent attack. It was a deliberate attack on the checkpoint facilities. It was a surprise attack and a very sad incident,” the Governor told reporters on the sideline of the visit at the Kwara State University Teaching Hospital (KWASUTH), Ilorin.
“Soldiers and other security forces are cooperating indeed and the government will continue to give the right support to our security agencies as they do their jobs. We are proud of their services and we will continue to do the needful for them.
“This recent attack was not on civilians and there was no kidnapping; it was a frontal attack against the Military and that is to show that they are getting desperate and they want the Military to vacate the area. The area has been uncomfortable for them.”
AbdulRazaq said the Army and other security agencies have been able to subdue most of the attacks through intelligence and elimination of threats.
He said the attackers are mostly from Niger State, who often cross border to lunch attacks and return to their base in Niger.
“The Army has mostly secured our axis here. The borders are wide and porous. The Kainji Forest Reserve is nearly twice the size of Lagos State. It is difficult to patrol; it is difficult to manage with the size of forces deployed there at the moment,” he said.
“We are confident that with Operation Savannah Shield, we will hold ground and they would be terminated from that axis.”
Governor AbdulRazaq commended the support of President Bola Tinubu whom he said has never turned down the request of the security forces for any support, especially in Kwara State.
“It is for us to better coordinate ourselves on all fronts and overcome this challenge,” he added, raising concerns about informants who give away the security forces.
The Governor also visited Share in Ifelodun Local Government where he interfaced with members of the LGA Security Committee led by the Chairman, Alhaji Femi Yusuf.
He also paid a courtesy visit to Etsu Tsaragi, in Edu Local Government, Alhaji Aliyu Abdullahi Kpotwa.
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