We need more prayers to tackle insecurity, says Fayemi

Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti, says the country needs “more prayers” to tackle the prevalent insecurity.

Fayemi, who is also the chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), spoke on Tuesday when he led some of his colleagues to Zamfara state.

The visit came after the release of 279 students kidnapped from Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Talatu-Mafara LGA of Zamfara.

Commenting on the incident, Fayemi said he believes that the country will get rid of the menace of school abductions.

He said prayers will assist in “reshaping the irrationality” of using violence to solve problems in the country.

“I believe that Nigeria will be rid of this menace. We need more prayers, that is why I was also trying to encourage Mr Governor (referring to Matawalle) and our leaders to go for prayers first before we have this session,” he said.

“Because, yes it is work and prayer, but prayers will assist us in really reshaping the irrationality that has come upon us, where violence is seen as the solution to whatever problem that we have and violence never solves any problem.”

The Ekiti governor noted that governors need to be given more responsibility in terms of security.

He argued that governors are being blamed for not using the powers they do not possess.

“For us as governors, we believe that we also need to take more responsibility for security, within our constitutional framework, so that we can be blamed. Right now we are being blamed for power that we do not necessarily possess,” he said.

“And it is high time we took responsibility for the oath that we swore, which is security and welfare of our citizens.”

Fayemi praised the security agencies and religious leaders that worked with the state government to ensure the release of the abducted schoolgirls.