Service chiefs touring Katsina, north-west states to ascertain level of bandits attacks
State Correspondent
The Nigeria’s Service Chiefs led by the Chief of Defense Staff, Lt General Lucky Iraboh Tuesday evening arrived Government House Katsina as part of their tour of North West States currently ravaged by banditry
Lt General Lucky lrabo and his team earlier was in Zamfara State on the same purpose.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after meeting with the Service Chiefs, Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, General Iraboh told him that the team was on tour of the zone to carry out President Buhari’s fresh marching orders against banditry and other forms of insecurity in various parts of the country
He further disclosed that they were to interact with the troops currently engaging bandits and other criminal elements that were disturbing the area and to obtain details of operational activities in the current battle
According to him “Following President Buhari’s marching order to ensure return of substantive peace and security in every part of the country, we are partnering with critical stakeholders and Governors particularly like Katsina State.
‘’we identify you as very critical in driving home the Presidential mandate, since you have a closer link with opinion molders and traditional rulers’’
‘’We recognize that quite a lot has to be done ‘’
The Service Chiefs requested the Governor not to be weary in the support his government has been rendering to the military especially in the area of logistics and urged him to rally Katsina citizens to support them by volunteering critical information and other essential assistance
Governor Aminu Bello Masari used the event to congratulate the Service Chiefs on their appointments also commended them for their decision to visit the troops on the frontline
He promised that Government under his watch and the citizens will continue to support the military until the bandits and other criminal elements are nuetralized.
“We will not relent, we will continue to support you, but you should note that when the citizens see your commitment and seriousness and an improvement in their lives, their support will increase”.
He further called for tougher action against the bandits and criminals in the state and that there should be a single operations command to ensure that military operations are going on simultaneously across the boundaries of the North West states
“when the operations are going on simultaneously, bandits will not have the opportunity to criss-cross the areas or escape to areas that are quiet to them” he added.
