By Umar Faruk
Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, Nigeria- August 27 2025(Series News Online)
In a bold move to bolster security in Kebbi State, Governor Nasir Idris has announced plans to put vigilante members on the state government's payroll. Speaking during a special prayer session to mark the state's 34th anniversary, the Governor revealed that his administration has trained vigilante members on arms handling and is ready to deploy them on combat duty with the military.
"We are waiting to hear the position of the Federal Government regarding their welfare," Governor Idris said. "If the FG will not pay, I'm willing to give them employment and include them on the payroll of the state government." The Governor emphasized that security matters are of paramount importance to his administration.
The prayer session, attended by Islamic clerics from across the state, was held to seek God's intervention in the nation's and state's affairs. The clerics prayed for peace, tranquility, and security in the state and the nation, and sought God's intervention in the security challenges facing the country.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Arc Sani Aliyu, commended the Governor for creating the Ministry of Religious Affairs to strengthen moral virtues and good values among the populace. The Governor thanked the organisers for their goodwill and prayed for the nation's and state's progress.
The Islamic clerics, led by Sheikh Aliyu Ladda Bunza, Sheikh Sani Birnin Tudu, and Khalifa Sheikh Usman Mukhtar, prayed for the Governor, the President, and the nation, seeking God's intervention in the security challenges facing the country. "We pray to GOD to restore tranquility to the land and provide good harvests all the farming seasons," they prayed.