From Olukayode Idowu, Defence Correspondent
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja received an update from the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, on military operations against bandits in the North West zone of the country.
Addressing State House correspondents after the closed door meeting, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, said he briefed the president on security developments as he successfully completed the first phase of an assignment given to him.
He expressed optimism that the security situation in the North-West zone was under control due to steps taken by officers and men of the Nigerian Army in collaboration with other security agencies.
“We are there fully supporting the already ongoing operation Hadarin Daji, which is a joint operation of all armed forces and security agencies.
“So far, this collective effort is making tremendous progress in the area of bringing about normalcy.
“Unlike where we had series of killings, kidnapping, cattle rustling and of course they tried to prevent the people from going to their farms and farm this season – this has been addressed.
“There is the presence of number of troops in the North West and they are carrying out surveillance, operations, and patrols to ensure that nobody is molested if he/she goes outside the community to farm.
“We assure that this would be sustained throughout this year’s farming season and beyond,’’ he said.
The Army Chief therefore, commended his men involved in the peacekeeping operation in the zone and other parts of the country for doing a good job, assuring that normalcy would soon be restored to the affected areas.
He urged all Nigerians to support the military and other security agencies so as to end insurgency and other security challenges troubling some parts of the country.
The COAS stressed the need for vital information about the whereabouts and movements of insurgents and bandits, saying this would help a lot in containing the situation.
“If you want insurgency and other acts of criminality to end today, the totality of the people’s effort must be put into the matter so as to see that insecurity in the country is reduced to the barest minimum.
“But if we don’t do anything and continue to complain, and continue to accuse the agencies involved in fighting it, then we are not helping matters.
“You are supposed to find solutions as something is being done on daily basis. I assure you that we will soon reach the end of the tunnel and we will see the light that will improve the security situation in all parts of the country,’’ he added.
According to him, securing the country is not an easy task, however, the army will continue to do its best in carrying out its task.
“We still carrying out our task and we will deal with them. You know securing a country is a task that everybody knows and we will prevent the country from any form of insecurity.
“In this case, you know the military task is very clear; to defend our country from external aggression, to defend our territorial integrity and to come to the aid of civil authority, which we are doing.
