The Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufa’i, on Friday, asked President Mohammadu Buhari to take decisive action against terrorists ravaging the country.
El Rufai said that the North West that is worst hit by the activities of the terrorists may opt to engage the services of mercenaries to do the job if the Federal Government fails to stop it.
He blamed the Nigeria Railway Corporation for the “massive” attack on the Kaduna/Abuja Train, which he said happened because the Corporation refused to listen to two letters alerting of plans by Boko Haram to blow up the trains.
The governor made the comment after his meeting with President at Aso-Villa, to brief the Presidency on the resolve of Governors of Northwest states.
El-Rufai in an interview conducted in the Hausa language in the State House said the northwest States of Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto, and the neighbouring Niger State might hire foreign mercenaries to help them fight terrorism.
According to him, with the way the terrorists have overrun the zone, with impunity and without fear, that time shall come when they will try to overthrow the country should the nation’s military fail to react proactively.
He stated that the military should invade the camps and hideouts of the terrorist in the forest and demobilise them.
El-Rufai reaffirmed his earlier accusations of the security operatives including the military of being aware of the locations of the terrorists.
He further disclosed that the President had assured him that he would take required actions on the issues of the attacks and killings, which he said would be sorted out in a matter of months.
He stated that the train attack was the evil work of Boko Haram elements, instead of the belief that the terrorists were the same bandits terrorising the entire Northwest in the last few years.
“To us, this happened because we have consistently written letters to the Nigerian Railway Corporation. We wrote them twice to stop night trips because we had a security report that Boko Haram had entered and they were planning to blow up the train, they should stop the night journey. We wrote them twice, but they didn’t listen.
“Secondly, the Air Force, in response to that security report, went and established a base at Katari, where helicopters can land and refuel so that if anything happens, they can quickly respond, but that cannot work at night because some helicopters cannot even fly at night, that is why we advised the Federal Government that, the night train should be stopped.
“We suggested that the last trip should leave Abuja by 4:00 pm so that they can arrive in Kaduna before night falls and same for the last trip from Kaduna, but our advice was not taken.
“It took the security agents over an hour to get to the scene when the attack happened because it was night, it would have been faster in the afternoon.
“This attack shows that it is not the bandits that we are used to, these ones came prepared, they have planned this attack for long, to the extent that they know the first-class coach where they will get the big personalities.
“Therefore, this is a serious issue that, we have been suggesting that, these forests where these people are, we should go there and bomb the forest for everyone in the forest to be killed. Honestly, if this is not done, this banditry in Niger, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, and Sokoto will not end.
“This thing can consume entire Nigeria, because the way these people are getting money, the way they boast that they don’t fear authorities, they don’t fear military, I don’t know why up till now, the Nigerian military will not enter these forests and deal with these people.
“Why do we always wait for them to strike before we go after them, why can’t we go to where they are and kill them? We know where they are.
“We have the maps as the military knows, the policemen know and everyone knows. DSS is giving us a report every time; see where Dogo Gide is, see what he is planning. Why is it that, up till now, the security has not gone to kill them, where are our soldiers? Why have they not done it?