Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has presented N80 million cheques to families of forest guards and vigilantes who were killed in recent encounters with kidnappers in the state.
The affected families included victims from the Babanla, Oke Ode, and Eleyin communities of Ifelodun and Isin local government areas.
The Governor additionally approved N100 million support for families of community fighters from Edu and Patigi who lost their lives in an ambush by kidnappers in July while responding to abductions in the area.
Daily Trust gathered that the affected families were awarded N10 million each on behalf of the slain victims. Speaking during the presentation in Ilorin, AbdulRazaq praised the courage and patriotism of the deceased, describing them as heroes who died in active service to the state.
‘We pray for the souls of the deceased. It was an unfortunate incident. They died in active service. The government cannot but sympathise with the families,’ the governor said.
He said the state will continue to support them and ensure that the state remains safe.
‘As you can see, the military has moved in with full force. We look forward to supporting the Nigerian Army and other security agencies as they chase the criminals out of the state,’ he added.
Similarly, the state government said it has provided new logistics, including motorcycles and operational equipment, to forest guards and community vigilantes across flashpoint areas.
The support, the governor said in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, on Monday, is aimed at ‘strengthening their capacity to track down kidnappers and safeguard their communities in collaboration with conventional security agencies.’