Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, said on Tuesday his late mother’s travail in the hands of kidnappers in 2013 influenced his decision to deal ruthlessly with kidnappers and other criminal elements irrespective of their location in the country.
The governor also promised that his administration would continue to ensure the security of lives and properties in the state.
According to him, he learnt all the positive character from his mother and negative ones from society.
Bello, who stated these during the 3rd day Fidau prayer of his late mother, Hajia Hauwa Oziohu Bello, in Nagazi, Okene local government area of the state, told the gathering that the deceased spent 93 days in kidnappers’ den.
He said: “Before I became governor, my mother was kidnapped twice from this (Nagazi) house. My mother spent 93 days in the kidnappers’ cave. She was threatened on a daily basis.
“Though my mother before her death said she had forgiven the kidnappers but ever since that incident, I have tapped into the words of Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and I paraphrase him, ‘that to forgive kidnappers is God’s responsibility, but to send the kidnappers to God is my responsibility.”
“My mother thought me well. He gave me the best training in life. All the positive character that I exhibit I learnt from her, the negative ones come from society.”
Governor Bello also disclosed that his mother fasted for seven days when President Buhari took ill.
“My mother said the President has adopted me as a son, and she prayed never for me to lose another ‘father’ since my biological father’s death when I was just four months old,” he concluded.