Insecurity in Sokoto State has continued to receive prompt attention after the relocation of the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, to the state in a special operation, stakeholders have said.
The special operation is aimed at flushing out bandits and other criminal elements in the North-West.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Matawalle, on September 3, sought the support of the Sokoto State Government and citizens to execute President Bola Tinubu’s directive to flush out bandits and other criminals terrorising the North-West.
The minister, along with the nation’s service chiefs and other high-ranking military personnel, therefore, relocated to Sokoto in an operation to rid the region of the menace.
NAN reports that bandit attacks and other criminal activities have since reduced in the state, even after the departure of Matawalle and the service chiefs.
Residents of the state have continued to commend the initiative by the minister and the service chiefs, which they said has yielded the desired results.
However, they noted that pockets of raids and road attacks by bandits still occur but are not comparable to how it was before the minister’s relocation.
The Special Adviser to Governor Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto State on Carrier and Security Matters, Colonel Abdul Ahmad (retd.), said that the Federal Government’s special operation against banditry in the North-West states has yielded positive impacts.
Ahmad added that the presence of the minister, along with other high-ranking military officers in the operation, had renewed the confidence of residents.
He described the menace of terrorism, kidnapping, and banditry as serious setbacks that had displaced and crippled many people and their socio-economic activities.
According to him, residents can now heave a sigh of relief, knowing that the military is steadfast in its resolve to protect them.
Ahmad noted that security remained a top priority in the nine-point agenda of the present administration, adding that, in line with this, the state government had established the Community Guard Corps and provided vehicles and other logistics to complement the Federal Government’s efforts.
He assured that the state government would continue to support the Federal Government in safeguarding the lives and property of the people.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Coalition of NGOs in the state, Alhaji Bello Gwadabawa, expressed delight over the military’s operational strategies and the successes recorded so far.
Gwadabawa said that insecurity in the zone had for long subjected citizens to untold hardships, as many were displaced.
He noted that residents were subjected to humanitarian crises due to the loss of employment, shelter, and other livelihood engagements, living in constant fear and uncertainty.
He explained that the demise of a notorious bandit kingpin, Kachallah Halilu Buzu, who was neutralised by gallant troops in Zamfara during the military operation, was a welcome development.
Gwadabawa said that the killing of the kingpin, a Nigerien by origin, who terrorised the region and provided arms and ammunition to many bandit groups, is highly commendable.
“The victory is a morale booster to both troops and the public. Therefore, we urge the troops to continue their relentless efforts in pursuing those who seek to harm innocent residents,” he said.
In the same vein, the Chairman of the Coalition of Traders Association, Alhaji Aliyu Maiyadi, commended the efforts of the military in the fight against banditry in Sokoto and Zamfara states and by extension the North-West region.
Maiyadi said the bravery and swift action of the military was a welcome development and expressed gratitude to the troops “for ending the reign of terror unleashed by Kachallah Halilu Buzu Sububu and his cohorts.”
He described the victory as a testament to the unwavering commitment of the Nigerian Army to protect the lives of residents.
Another resident, Alhaji Musa Lemu, noted that the successful operation served as a testament to the effectiveness of the strategy adopted by the Nigerian Army and its commitment to rid the region of banditry and terrorism.
The District Head of Gagi, Alhaji Sani Umar-Jabbi, enjoined the people to support the military operation with credible intelligence that would aid the fight and put an end to the nefarious activities of bandits in the entire North-West.
He said, “When you identify any suspicious movement or any person living a flamboyant life without a meaningful source of income, you should inform community leaders or the nearest authority.
“We should all be vigilant and keep an eye on society because the bandits, kidnappers, and other criminals are living within the society and carry out their ugly activities among us.”
While briefing newsmen on the visit to the North-West theatre of operation, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, said all joint task force operations would be harmonised to tackle terrorism and banditry in the zone.
Musa added that the visit had provided an overview of the entire operation and revealed the need to harmonise operations.
According to him, there is Operation Hadarin Daji and Operation Whirl Stroke, both in the North-West region, noting that there is a need to harmonise them into one operation, as is done in the North-East.
He explained, “The same thing is being done now for the North-West operation, and we will have one unified operation that will be called ‘Operation Fansan Yanma.’
“The intention is to ensure that we synergise all efforts toward addressing the security challenges in the North-West. It has been the tradition of the bandits to move from state to state.
“So, what we are doing is harmonising the whole operation under one commander, and the commander will be able to utilise all the equipment and troops to ensure we address this critically,” he said.
Meanwhile, the President’s directive for the minister and service chiefs to move to Sokoto was to appraise the operation and charge troops to redouble their efforts.
Experts have attributed the recent killing of the terrorist kingpin to the presence of the minister and the service chiefs.
They also believe that Bello Turji, another dreaded terrorist kingpin, will soon be captured as promised by the defence chief.
NAN recalls that former President Muhammadu Buhari, upon assuming office in 2015, ordered the then-newly appointed service chiefs to relocate the defence command and control centre to Maiduguri, the epicentre of Boko Haram terrorist activities.
This resulted in the liberation of many local government areas in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states that were hitherto under the control of insurgents.