Insecurity:  Security Operatives Take Battle To Bandits And Terorists Forests’ Hideout On The Orders Of Buhari

By  Sueleiman Umaru

President Muhammadu Buhari may have emboldened the Security operatives to take the battle to the Bandits Group forests hideout in  Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna , Niger, home state of Ibrahim Babangia, a retire Army General and for military President and the Islamic Fundamentalist Group, BokoHaram and the Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP hideouts in the north east states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe .

The Katsina state born Nigerian President may have taken advantage of  the recent World Humanitarian Day celebrations  in Maiduguri, capital of Borno , home state of Kashim Shettimah, the All Progressive Congress, APC, Vice Presidential Candidate , for the 2023, Presidential elections to speak out.

The Nigerian President was said to have asked troops of the Operation Hadin Kai, domiciled in the north eastern geo-political region, described as breeding ground of terrorists to flush out the criminal elements who were said to have link with the Libyan Terrorists operating in the Sahel region, Niger, Mali, Chad and the Central African country of Cameroun.

The Nigerian President had commended  the Professionalism of the Nigerian security agencies personnel  and their tactical penetration  to the forests’ hideout   of the Criminal elements, in the recent time  that have led to the significant improvement  of the security  situation  in the north east  geopolitical region, particular. He noted that without the improved security situation in the region, the resettlement of IDPs in the state could not have been possible.

As a prelude to  ensuring that  Troops of Operation Whirl Punch and Operation Hadin Kai , various theatres operating  in the north west and north east regions respectively , sustain the attack on the bandits and Terrorists , in the flash point regions, and other parts of the country,  may have informed why  the Nigeria President had appointed  Yaminu  Ehinomen, a retired Rear Admiral,  to head the newly formed  National Counter-Terrorism centre, NCTC, with Headquarters in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

The NCTC, which was charged with the Coordination of Counter-Terrorism policies, strategies, plans, is expected to support the performance of the functions of the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA,   headed by Babagana Munguno, a retired Army Major General, described as a failure by Sani Musa, a Senator of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 Many believe that with the appointment of Ehinomen, as the Head of the newly Launched NCTC, the various operations of the counter-insurgency war across the country have stepped up their attacks on the bandits and terrorists in their   forests hideouts based on credible intelligence.

The most recent of such attacks was said to have occurred on Thursday, August 18, 2022, when  150  Crack Operatives  of the  Kaduna state Police Command, armed to the teeth, acting on information,  at Galadimawa axis,were had  invaded an  identified  Kidnappers den at the Galadimawa forests hideout  in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna  state and  after a fierce battle with the Bandit apprehended a 20 year-old notorious Bandit.

 The officers of Operation Restore Peace, who were said to have engaged the bandits in the gun duel, according to an eyewitness account had pursued scores of the hoodlums, who were said to have scampered for safety with their varying degrees of bullet wound deeper into their deeper forests hideout. The gallant officers may have sent a message to the bandits turned kidnappers that it is no longer going to be business as usual as they were said to have recovered two AK47/49 RIFLES with five rounds of live 7.62 X 39mm ammunition, three Techno phone handsets a torch from One Yusuf Monore, the  20 year fleeing Bandit who was apprehended.

Mohammed Jalige,a Deputy Superintendent and spokesperson, of Kaduna state Police Command, had said that the suspect is currently undergoing thorough investigations that will help in arresting other suspects  still on the run.

Appealing to residents of the state, an Appreciative Yekini Ayoku, the state Commissioner of Police, while commending the gallantry exhibited by the Operation Restore Peace officers, in crushing the bandits at the Galadimawa forests had ‘’charged the Law-abiding citizens of the state that they have no cause to worry’’, pleading with them to be vigilant and promptly report all suspicious characters in their locality to the security agencies for prompt action.  He was said to have assured them of ‘’the confidentiality of all sources of information’’.

Recall that on August 11, 2022,  the air component  of Operation Whirl Punch  had killed  one Alhaji  Shano,  described As a notorious Leader of the Bandits Group  at Ukambo  village, in Chikun, Local Government Area of the state which is about  131 Km from Kaduna city, alongside 17 of his followers.    

  Indeed, what is currently happening in Giwa and Chikun axis o Kaduna state may not be different from what is happening in other flashpoint Local government Areas I Katsina state.Take for instance   at Wapa and Wada Sale village, in Kurfi Local Government Area of Katsina state, where the security agencies operatives were said to have taken the battle to their forests hideouts where scores of the bandits were killed speaks volume.

Gambo Isah, a Superintendent and the Katsina Command spokesperson disclosed that the security operatives could beat the Bbandits Group to their own game because the Command  ‘’upon receipt of information  of the attack in the village  had deployed its Tactical Teams to the area and engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel that was said to have lasted for hours .

A security source disclosed   that the bandits who could not stand the superior firepower of the police Tactical Team personnel were forced to flee while several others were sent back to their Creator.  The Katsina state , Police Command Tactical Teams who  were not yet done with the fleeing Bandits, according to informed sources are still combing  the forests within the Wapa and Wada Sale village  with a view   ‘’to arresting  those  who  may have escaped with bullet wounds recovering their  dead bodies.

The success that was said to have been achieved  by the Katsina Command Police Tactical Team  in driving out the rampaging Bandits in Wapa and Wada Sale vllage in Kurfi  LGA, to forestall the attack from spreading to other villages within the local government Area  may have informed why Sanusi Buba, the state Commissioner of Police to has urged  the people  ‘’to continue  to cooperate with the police and other security agencies personnel  in the state in the ongoing  campaign  against Banditry and Terrorism in the north western state of Katsina.

Security experts believe that if the Nigerian President had keyed into Abdullahi Umar Gandunje, the Kano state governor’s advice in December , 2021,     to order the troops   to take the battle to the Bandits Group, BokoHaram and ISWAP forests hideouts, it would have  gone a long way in solving the nations  high level of security challenges.

The Kano state governor has his reason for giving the suggestion to the President.  This is because ‘’the nation’s forests are accommodating the bandits, insurgents, kidnappers, armed herdsmen and armed robbers who are  the criminals and posing a threat to the nation’ security’’’. The Kano state who was said to have visited the Buhari,  had said that if the security operatives could take the battle to the hoodlums forests hideouts across the country, ‘’the forests will be completely liberated’’.  

The information filtering out from Zamfara, described as home state of the bandits that Bello Turji, a notorious Leader of the Group may have read the handwriting on the wall that he has embraced the peace initiative of Bello Matawale’s government bear eloquent testimony that that the Presidential direcives to the security agencies to take the battle to the forests hideouts of the hoodlums is catching up with them  as they have seen that they have no hiding place any longer.

Hassan Nasiha, the state deputy  governor, had  may have shocked Nigerians when he said  that Turji, the Bandit Leader   who has keyed  into the  amnesty  of governor Mtawale , is now ‘‘launching  an offensive  against  the Bandit gangs to ensure that   peace and stability returns I the state’’.  Let us hope that other notorious bandits in the state will take a cue  from him and turn a leaf.