Forum urges Tinubu to sustain adopted method of tackling banditry in Northwest

Gbolahan Salman Sokoto

A forum called Northern Elders Progressive Forum has appealed to President Bola Tinubu, to as a matter of urgency sustained the current airstrikes operations against bandits operating in the Northwest states.

The group in a statement signed by it’s chairman, Dr Usman Sani, and made available to our correspondent, said the adoption of both airstrike and ground operations against bandits in the region is yielding a very positive outcome.

The statement disclosed that the method employed by the Tinubu led administration upon assumption of office has turn out to be the turning point in the fight against banditry.

According to the statement, “more than 200 people have been rescued in the last one month between Sokoto, Zamfara and Niger States.

“Just last week, 66 persons were handed over to the Sokoto State Government, all of whom were rescued by the security agents in both Gundumi and Tangaza forest respectively ”

The statement further quoted the Minister saying, “We have directed our gallant troops to, henceforth, for the sake of urgency, identify and clamp on bandits’ enclaves even without ‘On-the-Spot’ order from what we called ‘The Top’, capture them on target and hit them heavily to the extent they could not have any hiding place in the bushes”

The group also commend the proactive measure taking by Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Muhammad Matawalle in which he directed the Nigerian Army not to wait for orders before going after bandits.

It also commend Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, in which he called on security agents to work in synergy especially on informations before going on attacks.

They however called on governor’s especially the affected states to stop playing politics with lives of their citizens and supports the efforts of the president in tackling insecurities in their respective states.