2023: Tinubu makes fresh N50m donation to Northern Nigeria’s victims of banditry in Minna

*As Niger Gov endorses his presidential ambition

*Babangida “gave me his prayers” – Tinubu

By OUR REPORTER

Former Governor of Lagos State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has donated the sum of N50 million to families of victims of the recent killings by bandits on communities in Niger State.

He recently donated N50 million when he visited Zamfara State making a total of N100 million he has donated this month alone.

Tinubu, who made the fresh donation on Thursday when he paid a visit to Niger State, decried the security situation in the country and said it could be fixed with prayers and self-belief.

He asked Nigerians not to see the nation’s security challenges as a hopeless situation.

“We share in your grief, I am here for the people of Niger State, hearing and reading of disasters, banditry and cattle rustling every day, just like what happened on Wednesday again,” he said.

In his remarks, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello endorsed the presidential aspirations of the national leader of APC ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

While receiving Tinubu at the Niger State Government House, the governor said he was looking forward to seeing him lay the kind of foundation he laid for the massive transformation in Lagos for Nigeria.

“Lagos is a country within a country, and we saw the foundation you laid there, we are looking forward to seeing you replicate it for Nigeria,” he said.

Bello who appreciated the former Lagos state Governor for sympathising with the State government and people over the incessant banditry attacks.

On the security situation in the state, the governor said no where is safe in the country and recounted how some villagers in Mashegu were murdered in cold blood by bandits while observing their early morning prayers in the Mosque.

He stated, “Where are we safe, in a place of worship, people can be killed. We are not dealing with human beings, but people whose heart has been cemented for evil, no amount of talking or dialogue can change them.

“Recently, they went to a village while they were observing their early morning prayers. They locked the door and started shooting indiscriminately, killing 18 and only those that forced the door open survived and few days later they did same in another village.”

He appealed to the Federal Government to change its approach to the ongoing war against banditry and terrorism, calling for a technological driven warfare, rather than conventional approach.

“We don’t fight conventional warfare. Let’s use technology even though it is expensive, the situation can be addressed that way

“The era of sending soldiers to the forest is over when we can deploy drones to monitor movement of bandits and hit target effortlessly,” he added.

Babangida “gave me his prayers” – Tinubu

In the meantime, the APC presidential aspirant in the 2023 general elections, Bola Tinubu, has said during the visit to Minna, the Niger State capital, that his mission to the North-Central state was part of his consultations to brighten his chances of succeeding President Muhammadu Buhari, whose tenure will expire next year.

Addressing journalists on Thursday, Tinubu said he met with former Military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), who prayed for success of his presidential ambition.

The DEFENDER reports that Babangida had earlier in the month endorsed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) as the best man to be next Nigeria’s President. That was after, towards the end of last year, during an exclusive interview with AriseTV, he ruled out Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from any chance to rule Nigeria.

During his Thursday visit in Minna, Tinubu told journalists that consultations were still ongoing and that he would not stop seeking extensive consultations before the 2023 general elections.

“Generally, I came to Niger State to commiserate with the Governor and the people of Niger State. I can’t stop by without paying a courtesy call to the enigma General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Retired,” Tinubu said.

“So, he gave me his prayers. You want to know the outcome of the consultation? We are running a democracy, I took my decision voluntarily and I am running for the Presidency of the country, we are running a democracy, thank you very much and God bless you.

“When I made the declaration, I told you that I am still consulting and I will consult as widely as possible.”

Before visiting the former Head of State, he was at the Niger State Government House where he donated the sum of N50 million to families of victims of the recent killings by bandits on communities in Niger State this month alone.

Speaking with Governor Bello Abubakar, he decried the security situation in the country and said it can be fixed with prayers and self-belief.

He equally asked Nigerians not to see the nation’s security challenges as a hopeless situation.