FG blames monarchs for Northwest violence | Nairalaw

Minister of Defence, Gen. Mansur Dan Ali on Tuesday warned those
collaborating with bandits to desist of face the full wrath of the
law.

Relying on security reports, the minister said some highly
placed persons, including traditional rulers, had been
collaborating with troublemakers.

In a statement issued in Abuja by his Public Relations Officer
(PRO), Col. Tukur Gusau, the minister said the Federal Government
and the Nigerian Armed Forces had taken proactive steps to curtail
the problems in Zamfara by launching various operations, but the
activities of the collaborators have been frustrating the
efforts.

He lamented that those profiting from the situation have been
providing information to the bandits and other criminal elements
within the Northwest zone to escape the onslaught of the various
military operations and strategies.

Gen. Dan Ali maintained that the government would not shy away
from its responsibility of making the country safe and secure,
warning that those compromising military operations would be made
to pay for their crimes legally.

The minister said: “The Ministry of Defence is very concerned
about the security challenges in the Northwest, particularly, in
states of Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and Birnin-Gwari axis of Kaduna.
Due to the recent prevailing security situation in the states, the
Defence ministry, through the Nigerian Army, is now conducting
Exercise HARBIN KUNAMA IV simultaneously in Zamfara, Katsina and
Sokoto states.

“The purpose of the exercise is to effectively flush out the
activities of criminal elements in the Northest. The Nigerian Air
Force has also intensified air strikes against the bandits in
Zamfara. So far, the combined efforts have yielded lot of
successes, leading to the killing of many bandits, rescue of many
innocent persons, including the renowned Islamic scholar Sheik
Ahmad Suleiman.

“The government is also addressing the remote and immediate
causes that gave room to high spate of armed 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 suggest close
collaboration between the activities of the bandits and illegal
miners.

“It is instructive to mention here that insurgency and terrorism
are global phenomena that cannot be addressed through military
actions only. The whole society has to rise in unison to support
the government’s efforts to address the problem.

“However, in spite of the concerted efforts of the Armed Forces
and other security, 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.

“In the last three years, the Ministry of Defence had carried
out several reforms geared towards the reorganisation and expansion
of the Armed Forces in order to meet up with contemporary security
challenges across the nation and the sub region.

“In line with this, the Nigerian Army established 8 Division
with headquarters in Sokoto to cover Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina and
Zamfara states while the Headquarters of 1 Brigade was relocated
from Sokoto to Gusau.

“Presently, the tactical headquarters of 8 Division has since
located to Gusau. Similarly, the Nigerian Air Force also
established Quick Response Force in Gusau and landing areas in
Gusau and Birnin Magaji, respectively.

“The Ministry of Defence, therefore, wish to warn any person or
group of persons who choose to connive or sympathises with the
bandits to perpetuate crime against the law abiding citizens to
henceforth retract their steps or face the full wrath of the
law.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria have been directed to deal
decisively with anybody identified helping the bandits under
whatever guise, no matter how highly placed the person or persons
may be.

“The Ministry of Defence wants to, once again, use this medium
to assure Nigerians that the Armed Forces of Nigeria, in
conjunction with other security agencies, will continue to protect
lives and properties of law abiding citizens of this country. The
general public is also requested to cooperate with the Armed Forces
to discharge of its constitutional responsibilities
effectively.”