The Kaduna State government has vowed to facilitate the establishment of a military formation in Igabi Local Government Area of the state.
This followed the rising cases of kidnappings, rural banditry and other related crimes at Rigasa and Nariya communities in Igabi.
In a bid to tackle such prevailing security challenges, Governor Nasir El-Rufai announced plans by the state government to engage in activities that would lead to the establishment of a military formation in the area.
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The governor made the promise when he visited the communities to commiserate with them over the recent abduction of several residents by suspected kidnappers who operate from a nearby forest.
He gave assurance that his administration would continue to empower security agencies in order to make the entire state safer for the citizens.
Governor El-Rufai, who visited the communities in company with some government officials, urged the residents to live in peace with one another.
He insisted that the government would step up efforts to improve security in the area, while the Chairman of Igabi LGA called on the residents to expose all criminal activities in their domains.
Nariya, a border community between Kaduna and Niger States, has been notorious over the years for various crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, rural banditry, and cattle rustling among others.
While Rigasa has witnessed the same incidents, over 30 people were said to have been kidnapped from their homes by bandits who camp in a nearby forest.
One of the residents, Aliyu Yushau, also said the bandits occasionally kidnap travellers along the Kaduna-Abuja Highway and hold them hostage inside their camp.
According to him, many residents have also fled from their homes to neighbouring villages while the majority of the roads in the community are inaccessible, making rescue efforts difficult during emergencies.
