Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has admonished his counterparts to show more commitment and take serious their responsibility of securing lives and properties in their states.
Bello gave the admonition on Friday in Abuja at his Second Annual GYB Seminar for Nigeria’s Political and Crime Editors and Correspondents.
The governor is speaking against the backdrop of deepening security crisis in the country.
He noted that President Muhammadu Buhari cannot be in every state of the federation to ensure the security of lives and property when there are governors saddled with such responsibility in the states.
Bello noted that he did not pass the burden of securing Kogi to the President and he had to be up and doing to bring crime to the barrest minimum in his state.
He added that previous administrations have to share in the blame for the country’s current security woes.
“I’m not a governor that will expect the President to secure my state,” Bello said.
“I refused to politicize insecurity. Buhari is a man who loves truth and reality. I’ll let you know that the President loves this country.
“This insecurity isn’t a thing of the President though we should not pass the buck because that is why we came on board. It’s a successive failure of various administrations.”
Bello pointed out that there’s more to the security challenges than meet the eyes, adding that he will never criticise the president for inadequate security in his state.
“The President will not sit in the Villa and hold an AK-47 to come and secure my schools and roads.
“Some of these crimes that we see today are more than what we see on the surface. I will never come out here and point out the flaws. Whatever I observe, in terms of loopholes and lapses, it’s between myself and the President to let him know.
“I will never be that governor who will come out and say that the President didn’t secure my schools and roads.”