The minister said the Federal Government has been able to block several economic sources of the Zamfara bandits and Boko Haram insurgents.
Mohammed Munirat Nasir, Gusau
Minister of Defence Mansur Dan Ali has urged the people in Zamfara State to support the military operations going on in the state to achieve the desired success in the fight against banditry.
The minister gave the charge in Gusau during a one-day working visit and assessment of the activities of Operation Sharan Daji (OPSD). He said the support of the communities was one of the most vital tools in the fight against the bandits.
Army kills 20, arrests 21 bandits in Zamfara
He commended the recent formation of the Civilian JTF in the state, saying that the inclusion of the JTF members as guide to the military had further led to the decimation of the bandits. “This policy should have come earlier than now but, nevertheless, it is a welcome development as it will help and encourage the military in its operation to wipe out banditry in the state,” he said.
Dan Ali stated that the Federal Government has not ruled out the infiltration of Boko Haram elements in the North West, especially Zamfara, under the guise of bandits, and stressed the need for the people of the state to provide information to the military about suspicious people or movement.
“You know the Boko Haram sect is facing serious defeat and are in desperate need to relocate to where they can operate without hindrance. Unfortunately, there is no safe place for the members of the sect anymore because our security operatives are not relenting,” he said.
The minister said, under the multilateral Joint Security Task Force, the Federal Government has been able to block several economic sources of the Zamfara bandits and Boko Haram insurgents.