Secretary of Shiroro local government council in Niger State, Mr. Adams Kefas, has said that a sum of N14m was paid to spiritualists and vigilante groups to curtail the incessant insecurity bedeviling the area.
Adams Kefas told the Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik Judicial Commission of Inquiry investigating the suspended chairman of Shiroro local government council, Suleiman Dauda Chukuba over a petition alleging misappropriation of N50m tenement rate that belongs to the local government.
He said the engagement of the spiritualists was as a result of an advice from some people within the area who told them that some communities who were also victims of the armed bandits attacks did engaged them and it worked for them “then we heeded to their advice that was the reason we resorted to engage the services of the spiritualists and vigilante groups to assist us in curtailing the security challenges we are facing in our communities.”
According to the council secretary, some of the spiritualists were brought in from Akare in Wushishi Local government area and Chikun Local government area in Kaduna state while some of the vigilante groups were from the local government and were also brought from Chikun local government to join hands with our own vigilante groups in our local government.
When asked by the chairman of the commission, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik on his faith as a Christian if he believes in engaging the services of spiritualists to curtail security challenges, the secretary told the commission that, he never knew that he was going to meet the spiritualists “not until I reached the place then I don’t have anything than to do what I did just to assist my area in curtailing the security challenges our people are facing on daily basis.”
He further told the commission that the award of some contracts was the collective resolution of the council legislature at a meeting held with some stakeholders of Shiroro local government at Markson Farm, Mutum Daya, where we identified some of the projects to be sited in their respective wards which was agreed upon by the councilors.
“There was a resolution of the legislature at a meeting that the issue of contract was discussed; the meeting collectively resolved that the councilors should identify their projects; of which they did identify projects of their interest and their location. That was what was resolved at the stakeholders meeting at Markson Farm, Mutum Daya held some times in May, 2020.” the Secretary told the commission.