Buhari Calls for Patience in Tackling Insecurity as Katsina Youths Protest
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday assured Nigerians that the nation’s armed forces have the capacity to deal with the challenges of banditry and terrorism and called for more patience.
He spoke just as youths in his home state of Katsina marched on the streets over the wave of banditry in the state that has sacked many from their homes and resulted in hundreds of deaths and destruction of assets.
The president who said the military was taking appropriate steps to block loopholes being exploited by criminals to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens, reiterated the approval of a joint military and police operations to comb Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto States to rid the areas of bandits.
A statement by presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said the surveillance would be improved upon with more night vision aircraft already deployed under “Operation Accord’’ which he said was launched three weeks ago.
“Nigeria’s military has displayed its capabilities in the past and will show it again by dealing with the current challenges,” the president said.
According to the statement, the president appealed to the people of Katsina State to be patient and support the ongoing military operations in their state, sympathising with those who are bereaved, injured and lost property.
Buhari urged the people of Katsina to avoid taking to the streets to protest, saying it could distract the military operations.
It also added that the president urged "Katsina indigenes not to give up on the military who over the years have a strong track record of quelling crises once given enough time.
“The major forests in North Western Nigeria have been identified as home to the bandits in the region. The operation will clear all these forests,’’ he added.
Earlier yesterday, hundreds of youths in Katsina State had embarked on another peaceful protest, calling for the immediate resignation of the president over deteriorating security challenges bedeviling the North-west region and Katsina State in particular.
They said the resignation became imperative in view of his administration's inability to curtail banditry, kidnapping and other heinous activities in the area.
The youths, under the aegies of Coalition of Northern Groups, added that the federal government and North-west states governors have failed to tackle bloodletting in the region.
The protesters carried placards with various inscription that included: ‘Buhari/Masari resign if you cannot protect us;’ ‘End killings in Katsina and Northwest now;’ ‘Buhari and Masari have betrayed us;’ ‘Bandits will finish our people;’ ‘North-west is bloody,’ among others.