Buhari meets Ganduje, departs for Addis Ababa ahead of AU Summit

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met with a delegation of political and traditional leaders from Kano State led by the State Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting, the governor said they were in the presidential villa on a thank-you mission over the developmental efforts of the Buhari administration in Kano state.

He lauded the Buhari administration for addressing security challenges and ensuring socio-political stability in Kano state.

“We are here in order to thank Mr. President for the good governance in our country, Nigeria. And also we are here to thank him for the development of Kano State, especially in terms of infrastructure being provided.

“We are here also to thank him for peaceful election that took place on the 21st of January 2020, for which APC won almost all the seats.

“Also, we have to thank Mr. President for infrastructural facilities especially the gas pipeline that is starting from Ajaokuta to Kaduna to Kano, about 164 kilometers.

“We have to thank him for the total reconstruction of Kano-Kaduna-Abuja dual carriage road. We have to thank him for the heavy gauge rail-line from Kaduna to Kano and then from Kaduna to Niger Republic.

“We have to thank him for the dualisation of a Katsina-Kano road, Kano-Dahi road in Kaduna State, where work will soon start,’’ he said.

The governor noted with delight the expansion of Aminu Kano International Airport, saying the new wing has been established and equipped.

He also thanked the federal government for giving approval for Emirate airline to fly Kano to Dubai as this would boost socio-economic activities in the state.

Ganduje particularly commended President Buhari for restoring law and order in Kano state, describing Kano as the most peaceful state in the country.

He added: “We are here to inform him about the peace and stability in Kano. Kano State as of today is the most peaceful state in the country.

“No armed robbery, no banditry, no tribal conflicts, no religious conflicts, even the few cases of kidnapping the kingpins are being arrested in Kano.

“You will recall that those who attacked the deputy governor of Nasarawa state were arrested in Kano. Even the Magaji Darin Daura who was kidnapped for almost two months, the man behind it was arrested in Kano.’’

The governor disclosed that the state government had introduced ICT into security administration in the state, saying that this had started yielding fruitful results.

He commended the security agencies in the state for partnering with the state government in ensuring peaceful environment in the state, especially in terms of community policing.

“Also, we have succeeded in establishing a very powerful command and control center where all security agencies and their representatives do communicate with each other.

“And from that center, security agencies are able to communicate with all the Divisional Police Officers in all the 44 local government areas in the state,’’ he added.

Ganduje announced that his administration had earmarked N500million for the transformation of the Falgore Forest, which had hitherto served as a hide out for bandits and criminals, in the state and beyond.

“We are constructing an army training area for which we are spending about N500 million in providing facilities dormitory, recreational areas, shooting range and others so that that forest cannot be occupied by criminals,’’ he said.

On Farmer/herder conflicts, Ganduje disclosed that the state government had successfully addressed the problem through the prevention of migration of herdsmen from the state to other part of the country.

“We have been able to solve the problem of herdsmen, farmers clash, we prevented the migration of herdsmen from Kano to other parts of the country.

“We are building herdsmen settlement for which we are providing an earth dam, industrial boreholes, building housing units, veterinary clinics, market cattle and market for milk and so many others. School systems – primary and secondary schools, all what is required as essential services for the herdsmen are being provided,’’ he revealed.

It was reported that President Buhari, who received the delegation, has since departed Abuja for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, ahead of the 33rd Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU).

The president is expected back in Abuja on Wednesday.