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HomeWill Matawalle’s tour of northwest to end banditry in the region?
Will Matawalle’s tour of northwest to end banditry in the region?
Habibu Harisu
Oct, Mon, 2024
Features
Will Matawalle’s tour of northwest to end banditry in the region?
Will Matawalle’s tour of northwest to end banditry in the region?
By Habibu Harisu, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
In recent years the northwest has come under severe attack by bandits roaming the large expanse of forests and villages in the region.
The recent killing of the Emir of Gobir, Alhaji Isa Bawa, was one killing too many for the people of the area. Villages had been sacked and villagers taken hostage by the rampaging criminals that kill, maim and collect ransom.
All the in the region, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Kano and Kebbi have had it rough in the hands of bandits
Irked by the wanton destruction of lives and the boldness with which the bandits operated President Bola Tinubu in September ordered military chiefs to relocate to the area and flush out the outlaws.
The Minister of State for Defense, Dr Bello Matawalle, in compliance with the directive recently led high-ranking military personnel on a strategic move to end banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and other crimes in the Northwest states.
At the first visit on September 3 Matawalle sought the support of the Sokoto State Government and citizens to execute the directive to flush out bandits and other criminals terrorising the region.
According to him, the Federal Government relocation directive was part of an intensified effort to rid the region of the menace of banditry, kidnapping and terrorism.
During the onslaughts, on September 13 the Nigerian Air Force killed notorious terrorist kingpin, Halilu Sububu, alongside 38 others, as well as many others eliminated at different spots.
The killing of notorious gang leaders and group members in different places has led others on the run and ensured relative peace in some parts, specifically in Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsina states.
Encouraged by the exercise’s achievements, the minister returned to Sokoto on Oct. 8, 2024, to assess the situation and make contact with government officials, troops at different military formations, and local communities.
Matawalle, on October 10 embarked on a tour to intensify the strategy towards addressing the insecurity plaguing the region.
The Minister toured the areas that served as lodges for bandits’ camps and transited to other locations such as Bagega in Zamfara, Falgore in Kano State and other areas in Katsina, Kebbi and Niger states.
Before he arrived at Isa local government headquarters, Matawalle reopened Gundumi-Isa Road which was closed and abandoned for eight years due to banditry activities.
The minister also reopened the Tudun Bale-Tsamaye Road from Turba and other rural roads abandoned by people due to insecurity, a gesture greeted with joy and happiness by residents.
While in Turba village Matawalle assured residents of the deployment of additional military personnel to reinforce security presence and ensure free flow of people and goods.
On the way to Sabon Birni, the minister stopped at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) to address the troops, commending their resilience and dedication to defending the nation.
He assured the troops that their welfare and logistical needs would be promptly addressed, urging them to maintain their focus and determination in ongoing operations.
The minister also visited several villages that have become epicentres of insecurity, including Gidan Duro, Marnona, Gidan Sule, Tudun Bale, Mailalle, Tsamaye, and Chori Mayal among other communities.
Many residents in those areas have been displaced, but the minister promised the deployment of additional military personnel, offering hope to the displaced people that they would soon be able to return home.
In Sabon Birni, Matawalle appealed to the local community to actively support the military and offer prayers for the troops who continue to make the ultimate sacrifice to defend the nation.
He said there that a, in addition to the ones in Isa and Illela, a military base would soon be established between Sabon Birni and Tsamaye to enhance the security of the region.
He also acknowledged the support provided by the state government, noting that after his visit, Gov. Ahmad Aliyu donated 10 vehicles to security personnel to enhance military operations in the state.
The minister underscored the importance of collaboration with the federal government in the fight through the use of kinetic and non-kinetic methods to tackle insecurity and achieve targeted goals.
“We are calling for support from our governors, as well as religious, political and community leaders towards achieving the desired success on the task ahead,” he said.
He warned the residents against acting as informants to bandits, saying both terrorists and their informants commit the same crime and that all informants caught would be dealt with accordingly.
Matawalle further cautioned the media and other platforms against propagating banditry, terrorism and kidnapping activities.
The Sokoto State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Idris Gobir, who was part of the tour, described the minister’s physical visit as a restoration of hope as banditry has cripple social and economic activities.
According to him, residents can now heave a sigh of relief, knowing that the military is steadfast in its resolve to protect them.
He noted that security remained top on the nine-point agenda of the administration of Gov. Aliyu, adding that in line with that, the state government had established the Community Guard Corps (CGC).
He said the state government also provided vehicles and other logistics support to complement the federal government’s efforts.
The Chairman of Isa local government area, Alhaji Sharifu Kamarawa, commended the minister for the visit which he said would boost the morale of troops and restore hope to the communities.
Kamarawa said residents faced enormous challenges as some settlements were in the control of bandits such as Bello Turji, Dan Bokolo, Garso and many bandits’ kingpins who were moving freely.
Kamarawa said at some point, the bandits led by Bello Turji appointed and deposed village heads to act as traditional rulers and judges.
However, he said that with the present operation, normalcy has been restored and urged the minister to redeploy more security personnel to the area.
In Sabon Birni, the LGA Chairman, Alhaji Ayuba Hashimu, expressed appreciation for the establishment of military formation in the area and appealed for more security presence.
Hashimu said that pockets of raids and road attacks by bandits continued to occur, although could not be compared to what was obtained in the past before the minister’s relocation.
In Goronyo, the LGA Chairman, Alhaji Zubairu Yari, expressed appreciation for the minister’s visit and appealed for more support to residents.
Yari said residents were subjected to humanitarian crises due to loss of employment, shelter, and other livelihood engagements, living in constant fear and uncertainties.
The traditional ruler at the occasion urged the people to support the military with credible intelligence that would aid the fight and put an end to the activities of bandits in the entire Northwest.
They counselled residents to identify and report suspicious movements or any person living a flamboyant life without a meaningful source of income.
A village head of a deserted settlement, Hawan Duro, Malam Maigari Shu’aibu, told the minister that his people have relocated to different places to the extent that houses have begun to collapse.
A cross-section of people expressed excitement over the federal government’s new effort to tackle the menace of banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism; a sustained effort that they had been expecting for a long time.
The people of northwest are hopeful that the minister’s 9-hour tour will bring succour to them by triggering a raft of actions that would save them from the oppressive bandits and enable them resume their normal lives. (NAN)
