Buleiman Umaru
Christopher Musa an Army General and Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, appears to have sent a final warning to the bandits terrorizing the north western states of Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna, Katsina and Niger, home state of Gen.Ibrahim Babangida rtd and a former Nigerian military President, to surrender or be killed.
The CDS, was said to have sent a similar warnings to Islamic Fundamentalist Goup, BkoHaram and the Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP, insurgents, operating the North eastern states of Borno and Yobe and the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB and the Eastern Security Network, ESN or face the full force of military firepower.
Oluyinka Soyele, an Army Major General and Theatre Commander of the newly launched Operation Fansar Yamma, who may have issued the warning at the instance of Gen Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defenc Staff, CDS, during a visit to Dauda Lawal, governor of Zamfara, describe as home state of the bandits, in Government Hose, Gusau, had said that the only option left for the notorious bandits, terrorists kidnappers and cattle rustlers who have refuse to turn a leaf is to face elimination through ground battles and air strikes.
Operation Fasan Yamma, Theatre Commander, may have been encouraged to visit he north western state governor, who had been engaged in a war of words with Bello Matawale, the immediate past governor of the state and now minister of state, Defence, under the present Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration because the Gusau- -Funtua Highway in the state has become a hotspot for daily assaults by fleeing bandits, who could no longer stand the superior firepower of Operation Fasan Yamma, under the close watch of Oluyinka Soyele, an Army Major General.
Maj. Gen. Soleye’s men who were said to have integrated the Operations of Hadarin Daji and other ongoing military efforts in the north western geopolitical region to form the newly Launched Theatre Command, was said to have strengthened the fight against banditry and terrorism in different parts of the country.
The bandits in operating in the north western region, particular, may have known that hat the game is up and no hiding place for them anymore that they have intensified their attacks on stravelers, farmers and Communities.
Only recently, suspected bandits group fighters were said to have abducted three travelers in the former Nigerian military President, home state, who said to have been killed between Bangi and Kotonkoro road in Mariga local government Area of the state. The bandits, who were said to have abducted two farmers as well were said to have blocked the road and shot at moving vehicles to forestall any military attack.
It is interesting to note that prior to the kidnap of the three travelers and two other farmers in the Babangida home state, two members of the bandits group gang in Kaduna were said to have been killed by the military personnel while attempting to collect a ramsom of N1.5 million cash from one of their kidnap victims relations from Mai-Iddo village in the north western state.
The bandits turned kidnappers were said to have abducted three women and a child from the Mai Iddo village when they got to the designated location on the instruction of their gang Leader to pick up the ransom paid for the release of the four locals but vigilant Nigerian soldiers who had acted on intelligence had opened fire and killed them instantly.
Bello Turji, a notorious bandits Group gang Leader, who was said to have assumed the Leadership of the group with the death of Kachalla Halilu Sububu, a major financier from his illegal gold mining business in amfara state, described as a home of solid mineral deposits in the country, and other gang Leaders may have embarked on a killing spree to further provoke the Nigeria military and other security agencies operatives.
This is evident with the attack of a Mobile Police Police, Mopol, base in Garagi, Yartsamiyar Jino village in Kakara Local Government Area of Katsina, home state of former President Muhammadu Buhari. The Kill and Go, bandits group fighter, who may have had at the back of their mind that they would be killed if caught in the act were said to have killed four police officers in the in Garagi, Yartsamiyar Village and injured two others in the attack.
There are indications that Turji, who had turned Katsina state as a battle group , but who had been declared wanted by the efense Headquarters, DHQ, but now running from pillar post and shuttling between Zamfara, Sokoto and neighbouring Republic of Niger, followers on ground in Katsina state were said to have also killed two people including a security operative attached to the to the state owned Security outfit, Community Protection Corps, KSCWC, at Dan Auta Village,in Sabuwa, local government area. The notorious bandits group gang were said to have also abducted 13 locals, including women and children, which appears to have become their targets in the recent time.
Unconfirmed report has it that one of the identified persons killed waS one Alhaji Adamu, the Chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, in the at the village, throwing the Sabuwa local government into chaos. The Operation Kill and Go, banndits , may have succeed in throwing into throwing the villages in the Sabuwa , LGA, into chaos, but the KSWC, operatives were said to have proved that they were no pushovers they were said to have put a strong resistance to counter the attacks of the bandits group fighters who were said to have come out for the operation in their large number to prosecute their attack.
Informed sources told The Value News that that the Katsina state Council Area and other local government Areas across the north western state have witnessed more than a dozen attacks over the years by suspected bandits armed to the teeth, kidnappers and cattle rustlers. Banditry attacks
There sis no gain saying the fact that most of these Katsina state Communities that are facing incessant banditry attacks, according to the source , are those located close to the dreaded forest area , which spreads, from the former President Buhari home state into the six other states in the north western region,and Niger state including neigbouring Republic Niger.
While the Nigerian Government is working round the clock to flush out the Bandit group, BokoHaram , ISWAP, IPOB and ESN, followers, in different parts of the country, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who could not hide his feelings had warned about the increasing number of out of out of school children in the north western, north eastern geopolitical region and the north central states of Benue, Plateau and south estern state of Imo, particular, as alarming and a’’ ticking time bomb’’.
A worried Obasanjo, may have made President Tinubu, who incidentally was a former Lagos state, during his two terms in office as President of Nigeria, to know that about 10% of the country’s over 200 million population are not currently receiving’’ formal education due to the activities of the criminal elements operating across the country, thus making them a ready army for’’ recruitment by the extremist groups in the future’’.
The Ogun state born politician, who has ruled Nigeria, both as a military Head of State and an elected President may have sent a message to Tinubu to forget about the past and work for the progress of Nigeria , noting that ‘’if these Nigerian children who have dropped out of school due to the activities of the bandits group, BokoHaram, ISWAP, IPOB and ESN, and Kidnappers, are not, properly equipped ‘’to develop their innate abilities to serve them and their Communities, banditry and terrorism would continue to thrive in the country for the next 10-15, years which may not be good for the country and the entire West African sub-region.
The former Nigerian President may have opened up while inaugurating projects executed by Senator Bala Mohammed, who is serving his second term in office as the governor of Bauchi state and who many believe is preparing the ground to run as the Presidential Candidate of the Opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the upcoming 2027, general elections, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, during Obasanjo , described as a serial loser , by Nyesome Wike , immediate past governor of LRivers state and now minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, under the present Tinubu’s Administration out of the way.
In a related development, the Nigerian Communications Limited, an agency of the ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, appears set to deploy all its satellite equipment ‘’to help the military, the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, under the Leadership of Kayode Egbetokun, and other security agencies in tracking the bandits, BokoHaram, ISWAP, IPOB, ESN fighters and the kidnappers.
Mrs. Jane Egerton –Idehen, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of the government telecommunication company and satellite company, had said the move is ‘’to unpack and showcase the transformative potential of satellite technology for Nigeria , sending a signal to criminal elements and their local and foreign sponsors that end of the road has come for them.
The Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, CEO, may have kept a closely guided secret the details implications of the deployment of the company’s satellite assets because of its security implications but hinted that there are collaborations with the country’s security architecture.
She had said that the collaborations with the security agencies, involved ‘’providing connectivity to remote areas’’, just as lots of technology platforms were said to have already been deployed for the various assignments.
Mrs. Egerton-Idehen, the ministry of Telecommunications and Digital Economy, may have gladden the hear of Nigerians, when she confirmed that the agency are collaborating of the National Security Adviser under the close watch of Nuhu Ribadu, an Assistant Inspector General of Police and a-one-time Chaiman, of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
She was said to have also revealed that the satellite company are also collaborating with Defence Intellience and Space Administration, the Nigeria Security and Defence Corps and other stakeholders in the utilization of communication satellite and assets to ensure peace throughout the country.
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