Some traditional rulers helping bandits to kill Nigerians —Defence minister

The Federal Government has said that some highly placed traditional rulers are the ones helping bandits to kill Nigerians in Zamfara and some other North West states.

The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, made the allegation in a statement on Tuesday signed by his Public Relations Officer, Col. Tukur Gusau.

He said that the military had been ordered to deal decisively with such traditional rulers and anybody identified to be helping the bandits under whatever guise.

“The ministry is very concerned about the security challenges in the North-West region and particularly, in states of Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and Kaduna states.

“Due to the recent prevailing security situation in the states, the Army is already conducting Exercise Harbin Kunama IV in Zamfara, Katsina and Sokoto states.

“The purpose of the exercise is to effectively flush out the activities of criminal elements in the North-West.

“The Nigerian Air Force has also intensified air strikes against the bandits in Zamfara. So far, the combined efforts have yielded a lot of successes, leading to the killing of many bandits, rescue of many persons including a renowned Islamic scholar, Sheik Ahmad Suleiman.

“The government is also addressing the remote and immediate causes that gave room to high spate of banditry in the states.

“Recently, the government acted on the advice of the Ministry of Defence to suspend all mining activities in Zamfara State and environs following intelligence report that suggested close collaboration between the activities of the bandits and illegal miners.

“However, in spite of the concerted efforts of the armed forces and other security agencies, some unpatriotic persons, including highly placed traditional rulers in the areas, were identified as helping the bandits with intelligence to perpetuate their nefarious actions or to compromise military operations.

READ ALSO: Nigeria Police sacks 9 senior officers, demotes 6

“The Ministry of Defence, therefore, wishes to warn any person or group of persons who choose to connive or sympathise with the bandits to perpetuate crime against the law abiding citizens to henceforth retrace their steps or face the full wrath of the law,” the statement read.

Reports of deaths of citizens killed by bandits in Zamfara, Kaduna, Sokoto and Katsina make headlines in Nigeria almost on a daily basis.

By Ebere Ndukwu. . .

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now