Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja and George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a joint military and police operation specifically targeted at combing Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto states to rid the areas of bandits.
Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement, Buhari assured that surveillance will be improved with more night vision aircrafts already deployed under “Operation Accord.”
This is even as he has assured Nigerians that the nation’s armed forces were capable of dealing with the challenges of banditry and terrorism, urging more patience as the military takes appropriate steps to block gaps being exploited to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens.
According to the statement, the operation was launched three weeks ago.
“Nigeria’s military has displayed its capabilities in the past and will show it again by dealing with the current challenges,” Buhari is quoted as saying.
He appealed to the people of Katsina State to be patient and supportive of the ongoing military operations in the state, while sympathising with those who were bereaved, injured and lost properties.
President Buhari admonished that taking to the streets to protest could distract the military operations, urging “Katsina indigenes not to give up on the military who over the years have a strong track record of quelling crises once given enough time.
“The major forests in North Western Nigeria have been identified as home to the bandits in the region. The operation will clear all these forests.”
Meanwhile, elder statesman and member Board Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has said the marauding Fulani herdsmen will meet their Waterloo in the South East.
He commending the South East Responds Team (SOREST), for adoption of legitimate and organised response to external intimidation against the people of the South East.