By Jibrin Baba Ndace
Abuja
The federal government has promised to deploy a special military operation in eight northern states that are facing challenges of cattle rustling and other forms of criminality.
The states are Nasarawa, Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Zamfara, Benue, Plateau and the FCT.
The Head of Service, Mr. Danladi Kifasi, disclosed this yesterday in an interview with defence correspondents after a meeting with the governors from the affected states in Abuja.
Also in the meeting were the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Alhaji Ismaila Aliyu, Permanent Secretary, Federal Capital Territory, Engr Obinna Chukwu, service chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, and Commander General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Kaduna state Governor Nasir El-Rufai said the meeting was aimed at discussing common security challenges in the eight states.
He said: “Governors of some selected states in the north met with Chief of Defence Staff, other service chiefs, IGP and Commander General of NSCDC to discuss issues of security challenges common to all the states.
“This discussion had started in Kaduna where we discussed a forest that has become a source of banditry in our states and this has been expanded to look at other forests in North-central Nigeria that have also been a source of banditry and criminality.
“What we are discussing with the Ministry of Defence, IGP and Commander General of NSCDC is an operation to address that. And we have made significant progress. But the detail will be announced at the right time by those in charge of the operation.”
While speaking on soft approach, El-Rufai said the governor of each of the states affected by this banditry has put in place a post-operation plan including dealing with internally displaced people, activating state emergency management agency to deal with any emergency as well as presence of law enforcement agencies in the forest or around the forest, so that the civil populace would continue to live in peace.
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So, we have a comprehensive strategy not only about the military operation, but also how to ensure there is peace and security post-operation”, he added.
