By,giwa alex, Jos

Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum and Governor of Kebbi State Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has Commiserate with Governor of plateau state Simon Bako lalong over the looting and destruction of public and private properties by hoodlums who hijacked the ENDSARS protests.

The message of Commiseration is contained in a press release dated 17th November,2020, signed by the Director of press and public affairs to plateau state Governor Simon Mackut Macham and made available to this medium in Jos, plateau state.

Governor Bagudu who was accompanied by his colleagues from Yobe, Mai Mala Buni and Jigawa, Abubakar Badaru, said their visit was to express sympathy with Governor Lalong over the unfortunate events that led to the destruction of properties worth billions of naira.

He said though the protests were legitimate and supported, criminals hijacked the agitation to perpetrate crimes under the guise of searching for palliatives. He maintained that Governors did not hoard any palliatives as wrongly insinuated in some quaters.

The Progressives Chairman said “we have the interest of our youths at heart and believe that without empowering them, development will be difficult to achieve.

The chairman of the forum further add that its on this premises the APC Government right from the Federal to the States continue to roll out empowerment initiatives that will build the capacity of the youths and make them productive. We shall continue to engage and dialogue with them in enhancing their well-being so as to address restiveness”.

Responding, Governor Lalong thanked them for the solidarity and goodwill over the unfortunate incident. He said the destruction has taken the State back as some of the properties looted, vandalised and destroyed were sources of job creation and industrialisation.

He told the delegation that over 31 public and private properties were affected with losses estimated at over 75 billion naira which will be difficult to restore.

He said already, he has engaged the youths and other stakeholders after the incident to ensure that there is no repeat of such incident.

The Governors later proceeded to Lagos for a similar visit to Lagos State Government.