The Federal Government has launched a military campaign against the bandits terrorising states in the North-West.
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the ministry’s Director of Public Information, Henshaw Ogugbike.
He decried the persistent insecurity in the North-West.
The minister said the Chief of Defence Staff and other top military officers have been directed to join him at the strategic headquarters in Sokoto for the joint military operations against the bandits.
He said the federal government would deploy all necessary resources to flush out the notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji and his foot soldiers who circulated videos of a Nigerian military armoured vehicle stuck in a waterlogged area in Zamfara State.
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Matawalle vowed that the military would leave no stone unturned in their mission to rid the region of the criminal elements.
He urged the people of the North-West to remain vigilant and cooperate with security forces in the efforts to flush out the terrorists from the zone.
“We cannot allow these bandits and terrorists to continue holding our people hostage.
“Their time is up. We will weaken their bases and restore peace to our communities.
“We are committed to protecting lives and property, and we will not rest until peace is restored,” the minister stated.