Kwara Seeks Army Base In Lafiagi To Protect $300 Million Sugar Refinery

Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazak on Wednesday revealed that his administration had forwarded a request to the Nigerian Army to establish a base in Lafiagi to protect a multi-million-dollar sugar plantation and refinery due for take-off in the area.

The governor made the revelation when a delegation of the army visited the Government House in Ilorin on Wednesday.

Abdulrazak disclosed that the investment would generate at least 10,000 direct employments when operation begins late next year.

He stated that his administration has applied to the army headquarters in Abuja for the establishment of a Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Lafiagi ahead of the takeoff of the investment as part of its strategic plan to reassure investors and the citizens about the security of their investments.

He said the government does not want any threats to security to affect investments in the state, adding that the security initiatives would be fully supported by not just the state government but also the BUA Group, owners of the big investment.

“Our primary concern is the safety of lives and properties. For us, we don’t want anything that would scare investors away from our state because Kwara is a state of harmony,”AbdulRazaq said in a short address to an Army delegation to Kwara State Government House, led by the new General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division of the Nigerian Army Anthony Bamidele Omozoje.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Rafiu Ajakaye said Abdulrazak also commended all the security agencies, including the Army, for their “selfless service to the country”, especially in Kwara State, where they have worked with the government and various communities to strengthen security.

AbdulRazaq said his administration is working on the requests already made by the Army to aid their operations in Kwara, calling on the military to also deepen their community outreaches which the government would be willing to support.

Omozoje, for his part, said the Nigerian Army will continue to support the civilian authorities to keep the country safe and united, and commended AbdulRazaq for the support so far given the army in the discharge of its national mandate in Kwara.

“We thank Your Excellency for the large parcel of land that you have donated for the establishment of the FOB and we are waiting for the necessary paper works to be formalised to enable us to consolidate security in the area,” he said.