Oyo state Governor Seyi Makinde has raised the alarm that bandits from Mali and other countries in West Africa were planning to enter Nigeria through the Oke Ogun area of the state.
The governor raised the alarm in Saki Tuesday during a visit to the palace of the Okere of Saki, Oba Khalid Olabisi, where he met with traditional rulers from Oke Ogun zone.
He said banditry remained one of the challenges facing the country both at the federal and state levels.
The governor said as part of efforts at stemming the tide of the menace in Oke Ogun, the South-west security outfit-Operation Amotekun was initiated, noting that this had yielded positive results.
Specifically, Governor Makinde declared that with the coming on board of Amotekun Corps, some of the bandits terrorising residents of the state were flushed out by the security outfit.
“In our locality here, the issue of banditry is also another issue. For instance, Saki shares an international border and it is more of an international issue because we have bandits all the way from Mali that are trying to cross”, he said.
The governor said: “When we inaugurated Amotekun, you gave us your support. When some bandits went to the bush at Kishi, we were able to flush them out with all the efforts of all of us here. So, we want to use this opportunity to say thank you to you all.”
On his visit to Saki, the governor said his administration was determined to extract value from the abundant mineral resources in the Oke Ogun area of the state.
He said the comparative advantage of the area in terms of agriculture to boost agribusiness and the state’s Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, was on course.
The governor said he was in Oke Ogun to inspect ongoing works at the headquarters of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), Saki.
He further assured that his government would continue to do everything possible to develop the state and uplift its people,
Receiving the governor, the Okere of Saki, Oba Khalid Olabisi, disclosed that the Makinde administration had performed creditably well to make people of the area, especially Saki, happy.
“On Saki township road, we are gradually seeing light at the end of the tunnel. The speed at which the project is being done is commendable. Really speaking, in the Oke Ogun axis of the state, we have so many things to thank Governor Makinde for,” the monarch said.
Kaduna/Abuja Highway
Meanwhile, troops ensuring security along Kaduna-Abuja highway have killed nine bandits and foiled the movement of rustled cattle across the highway in an operation that took place between late Monday and early Tuesday.
A statement Tuesday by the Kaduna state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan said: “The Kaduna state government has been informed by the military securing the Kaduna-Abuja Road general area that troops neutralised nine armed bandits following a crossfire late on Monday night into the early hours of Tuesday.
“According to the operational feedback, troops acted on intelligence that the bandits were attempting to cross over from the eastern part of the Kaduna-Abuja road to the western part, with a large herd of rustled cattle. The herders whose cattle had been rustled from the eastern part of the route alerted the military for immediate action.
“An ambush was successfully laid by the troops, as the bandits walked into the killing zone and were welcomed with a hail of bullets. After the fire fight, a search of the area yielded the following: one empty magazine, one set of complete army camouflage, one set of desert boots, seven blankets, two Tecno Mobile phones, one caftan outfit, ropes for tying cattle
“At first light this (Tuesday) morning, a further search revealed the corpse of one bandit, 16 dead cows and three wounded cows. Seven more bandits died from ferocious gunshot wounds sustained in the ambush, as their bodies were mutilated. Troops are still conducting vigorous search patrols in the general area.”
“In a separate feedback, troops and police this morning foiled another attempt by bandits to cross the Kaduna-Abuja highway with rustled cattle, this time around the Greenfield University.
“The troops, guided by some local volunteers who pointed them in the direction of the bandits’ movement, engaged the criminals in a fire fight. Sadly, one of the local volunteers lost his life. One bandit’s corpse was found, along with several rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.
“Governor Nasir el-Rufai on receiving the feedback congratulated the security agencies on the successful operations, and urged them to sustain the tempo in the ongoing offensives against bandits. He sent his condolences to the family of the volunteer who lost his life, and prayed for the repose of his soul.
“The governor also appealed to locals to always raise alarm in all cases and not only when they are directly affected, as banditry ultimately affects everyone.
“Furthermore, locals in villages around Jakada-Darabi, Gwanto, Kasarami, Kankomi, Chikwari and neighbouring locations in Chikun and Kajuru local government areas are enjoined to report any person found seeking medical attention for suspicious wounds,” Aruwan further stated.
NAF
Also, the Nigerian Air Force interdiction missions killed several Boko Haram terrorists at the ‘S’ Region in the Sambisa forest.
Coordinator Defence Media Operations Majoe-General John Enenche said this Tuesday in a statement in Abuja.
He said the mission was conducted on 28 December 2020.
Enenche said the air strike was executed employing a force package of NAF fighter jets, “after series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions that was carried out revealed that the terrorists responsible for recent attacks in the Southern part of Borno and Northern part of Adamawa state had originated from the location.
“Accordingly, the NAF attack aircraft engaged the target area in successive passes, leading to the destruction of some of their structures and logistics stores, including a suspected anti-aircraft gun station as the terrorists fired at the NAF aircraft. Several insurgents were also neutralised in the process.”
Community policing
And in a similar development, community policing got a boost in Kaduna state Tuesday as 272-man Police Constabulary passed out from training school.
They are to be deployed to the various local governments for their duty.
Speaking while reviewing of the passing out parade of the Constabulary, Governor Nasir el-Rufai said community policing has come to stay in the state.
Represented by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, the governor charged the personnel to enhance internal security in the state.
He said there would l be a second phase of the training and passing out of the Constabulary in order to enhance security monitoring in the state. “You are trained to be our eyes in security issues in the state, so to whom much is given, much is expected. You are expected to help security agencies to ensure peace in the state because without peace there can never be development.
“You are expected to be good ambassadors of your community, be civil and upright in your conduct. You are also expected to play your role to protect lives and property in the state. Don’t put us to shame; you have to justify the confidence reposed in you.
“We will appeal to local government chairmen to support you to succeed because community policing has come to stay. And the state government too will continue to support you. Together we will surmount the security challenge. It is a critical issue that we don’t need to play with it to ensure peaceful coexistence.”
In his remarks, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Muri, said the passing out parade was part of activities for the formal handing over of the special Constabulary to the state government.
He said the special police would be sent to various local government areas in the state where respective Divisional Police Officers would in turn give them further instructions as to the line of their duty.
The police boss warned: “You should have the fear of God in your heart because you are representing a community. If you are a Muslim, be a good Muslim, and if you are a Christian, be a good Christian.”
