The Commander of the Corps of Artillery, Maj.-Gen. Zakari Abubakar has said that Kontagora and its environs were no longer a safe haven for criminal elements operating in Niger.
He said this during a filed demonstration, involving the test-firing of artillery guns, held at the Nigerian Army Military Training Area (NAMTA) in Kontagora on Saturday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the test-firing guns was aimed at sending a strong message to criminal groups operating in the area.
Abubakar said that peace was the foundation of every meaningful development, adding that everyone had a responsibility to promote and sustain it.
“Sustainable development can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace,” he said.
The commander urged troops to remain vigilant, professional and proactive in their duties, stressing the need to deny miscreants any opportunity to disrupt relative peace enjoyed in the region.
He also called on residents to support security agencies by providing timely and credible information that could aid ongoing operations to rid the area of insecurity.
The commander appealed to religious leaders to continue preaching messages of peace to their congregation, saying that peace was a universal language that must be upheld by all.
He called on aggrieved individuals or groups to lay down their arms, embrace peace and be a responsible citizen to the progress and development of Kontagora and environs.
