Minister Badaru has revealed that President Tinubu has instructed his team to develop a lasting solution to the growing issues of banditry and terrorism in Nigeria, as the government intensifies efforts to restore peace.
The Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, stated that President Bola Tinubu has tasked him and the security agencies with finding a permanent solution to the issues posed by banditry, terrorism, and other security threats in the country.
He mentioned this on Thursday in Kaduna during his visit to Governor Uba Sani at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, located in the state capital.
Badaru reaffirmed the Federal Government’s dedication to addressing security issues, announcing that the Ministry of Defence will soon set up a Joint Military Command Centre in the North West, named ‘Operation Fansan Yamma.’
The minister emphasized that setting up a Command and Control Centre in the North-West Zone is essential for tackling the persistent issues of banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, and other crimes that have plagued the region for many years.
“The president has tasked us with being innovative and developing lasting solutions to this security issue. We are diligently working towards its success,” he stated.
Praising Governor Uba Sani for his administration’s ongoing support of security agencies battling insecurity in Kaduna State, the Defence Minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing banditry, terrorism, and other security challenges across the country.
“The president has tasked us with being innovative and developing lasting solutions to this security issue. We are diligently working to ensure its success,” he stated.
The minister also emphasized the government’s joint initiatives with neighboring countries to tackle terrorism and arms trafficking.
He also recognized the concerns regarding security around Sokoto and its borders with Niger Republic, but assured that the government was implementing proactive steps to address these challenges.
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We are collaborating with the military, security agencies, and neighboring countries to address issues such as terrorism, banditry, and arms trafficking. The Minister of State for Defence recently traveled to Sokoto to collect recommendations, while the Chief of Defence Staff engaged in discussions with the Nigerien government about joint efforts.
This is a genuine concern, but we are aware of the situation and actively addressing it. Our partnership with Niger will aid in combating the movement of terrorists, as well as arms and ammunition.
“The President is dedicated to addressing insecurity in Nigeria. We are working diligently to achieve peace and stability. I want to reassure Nigerians that we will confront these challenges, and with God’s grace, we will succeed,” he stated.
In his speech, the governor portrayed the proposed North West Command and Control Centre as a clear indication of the Federal Government’s dedication to effectively addressing the various security challenges facing the Zone.
Governor Sani urged the establishment of a robust regional collaborative framework and operational plan to address the ongoing issues of banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, and related crimes that have been plaguing the region for many years.
He expressed, “We recognize and value the importance of a robust collaborative framework to address security challenges. In Kaduna State, we have developed a strong partnership with security agencies, incorporating streamlined intelligence gathering and strategic coordination for handling security-related issues.”
Since taking office, I have led efforts to create a unified strategy and operational plan for Northern States to address insecurity. We need to set up a Command-and-Control Centre to coordinate our collective actions against terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and other criminal elements in our region.
In addition to strengthening support for our security forces and improving local intelligence systems, we need to take further crucial actions such as promoting investment, advancing agriculture and agri-business, expanding rural infrastructure, increasing access to education and healthcare, and most importantly, fostering engagement while encouraging a sense of inclusion among all citizens.
