In the wake of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) MI-17 helicopter which crashed on Monday while on a mission to evacuate the deceased and wounded troops at the Chukuba area of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Audi, has assured of an enhanced working relationship of the Corps and other security agencies to rid Niger State of criminal elements.

According to a Statement by the NSCDC director of Public Relations, Babawale Afolabi, the Commandant General made the pledge on Tuesday during his working visit to the Niger State Governor Umar Muhammed Bago where he further promised to strengthen the working synergy with sister agencies in the State.

” We came around to see for ourselves, a kind of on- the -spot assessment, of the security situation in Niger State and to familiarize with you. We hope to work on our synergy with other security agencies in the state and create a better security atmosphere for the people of Niger State.”

In his address, Governor Bago appreciated the timely visit of the NSCDC boss but lamented the nefarous activities of the bandits, cattle rustlers, illegal miners among other criminalities in the State, adding that the farmers are the worst hit as many have abandoned their farm lands due to fear of being attacked.

” Niger State is being referred to as the food basket of the country largely due to our largest land mass in the country ( about 76.36km2) which is also suitable for agriculture and being made use of by the government and a large percentage of the people. But the growing security concern means that our people are constantly at the mercy of bandits and other criminal elements,” the governor lamented.

The governor who also decried nefarious activities of the illegal miners in the State promised to continue to work on how to better equip the security agencies in the State by donating more vehicles and housing units.

The NSCDC boss who also seized the occasion to appreciate the governor’s kind gesture following the who recent donation of hilux patrol vans and other security gadgets to the security agencies in the State, however, implored the governor to create more office structures for the NSCDC across all the 26 local governments areas in the State.