President Muhammadu Buhari has again directed the military to respond robustly to cases of killings and kidnappings by bandits in Niger State and to give effect to strategic objectives through the use of force.
Garba Shehu, the President’s spokesperson, who revealed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said the directive was handed over to the Defence Headquarters by the president.
The president stated that military operations had become necessary to check the continued attacks on communities in Niger by bandits and remnants of Boko Haram terrorists fleeing theaters of war in the North-west and north-east parts of the country.
In a message to the government and people of Niger, the president said:
”I will like to express sincere sympathies to the government and people of the state following recent security incidents.
”The Federal Government is willing to strengthen support and cooperation with all the states.
”I believe that with full cooperation of citizens, we will surely overcome this problem.”
According to him, security is a responsibility of every member of the community and ”only through solidarity and cooperation with law enforcement agencies can we defeat the problems finally.”
Despite military operations to contain them, bandits have continued to wreak havoc in some states in the north-west and north-central states especially Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger States with no end in sight yet.
Some communities in Niger State recently came under attacks by bandits which resulted in loss of lives and destruction of farmlands and properties
(NAN)