Banditry: Army Upgrades Battalion To Brigade

The Minister of Defence, Mansir Muhammad Dan-Ali, said yesterday in Gusau, Zamfara State, that as part of efforts to curb killing of innocent persons by bandits, the current battalion in the state would be upgraded to a Brigade.

The minister said the move to upgrade the battalion to a Brigade was a sign of the federal government’s commitment to end all forms of terrorism.

“All necessary arrangements are being made to increase the strength of troops. Similarly, the first phase of the Gusau Army Barracks has been completed. We are moving to the second phase,” he added.

Dan-Ali, who spoke at the opening of the Comprehensive Integrated Medical Out Reach Programme for military and civilian staff of 1 Battalion Ammunition Depot, Gusau, said the federal government would not abandon its responsibility of protecting lives and property. “I want to assure the people of Zamfara State that the federal government is doing everything possible to put an end to this barbaric action in the state and the country in general. Please continue to cooperate with government by giving the security agencies credible information that can be used to track down criminals operating in our society,” he said.

The Zamfara State acting governor, Malam Ibrahim Muhammad Wakkala, commended the federal government for its commitment to end killing of innocent citizens.

“Upgrading the battalion in Zamfara State to a Brigade is a good decision, as the criminals need to be defeated and sent out of the state and country completely,” he said.