Ex-Speaker makes case for family of slain soldiers

A former Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, has called on the government to assist the families of soldiers killed in ambush during peacekeeping in Katakpa and Shege communities in Toto LGA of the state by gunmen.

Abdullahi made the call while paying Sallah homage to their first-class traditional ruler, the Ohimegye Opanda- Umaisha, HRH Alhaji Usman Abdullahi, at his palace in Umaisha, on Friday.

He said the families of soldiers who died fighting for peace in Toto should be given the utmost attention by the federal government, even as he commended the efforts of the state government under Governor Abdullahi Sule and the Nigerian army.

He also informed the monarch that the government has concluded arrangements to establish a permanent military base in Katakpa in order to tackle any further attack by gunmen in the area.

On his part, the Ohimegye Opanda —Umaisha kingdom, Alhaji Usman Abdullahi, also advised people of the local government against politicising security problems, which he said has resulted in loss of lives and property in the area recently.

He appealed to the people of the area to forge a common front irrespective of their differences and support the state government in order for peace to return permanently to the two villages sacked by the gunmen recently.