Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has presented 29 operational Hilux pick-up vans to local government chairmen and vigilante groups in some troubled areas of the state.

The Governor made the presentation in Government House, Minna, on Tuesday.

Sani Bello expressed concern at the increasing rate of security challenges being faced by Nigerlites, especially the rural dwellers, noted that the provision of the operational vehicles to the groups and some local government councils was to enable them effectively secured their areas.

He identified the vigilante groups as critical stakeholders in the face of recent security challenge in the state, especially at the rural areas and urged them work closely with security agencies.

The Governor said that recent security challenges was not only alien to the people but unacceptable to his administration and warned criminally mind people to relocate from the state.

He said aside from the regular supports to security agencies to ensure the state is a safe place, Sani Bello reassured the people of the state his resolve to adequately provide logistics to para-military agencies in a bid to take the battle to the door steps of criminally minded individuals in the state.

“We are committed to making Niger State safer. It has become necessary to assist the vigilante groups and security agencies in the state with operational vehicles so that they can move around and provide a safer state for us,” he said.

The Governor then commended the efforts of security agencies in the state and charged them to re-double their efforts at ridden the state of criminals.

“Our security operatives have been doing their best in the past and it is my considered opinion that with these operational vehicles, they (security agencies) will do more and ensure that our rural and urban areas are effectively patrolled and policed,” he stated.

Governor Sani Bello charged the beneficiaries to maintain and make judicious use of the vehicles. While 16 Hilux pick-up vans were given to vigilante groups, Local Government Chairmen got 13.

Earlier, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Haliru Zakari Jikantoro, said government provided the vehicles to facilitate the movement of council officials and members of vigilante groups to enable the effective delivery of their duties.