When will insecurity end in the North West?

ADistrict Head and an APC local government party chairman both in Katsina State were recently killed within 24 hours. That was in addition to about 10 persons that were earlier killed in same state.

These were coming despite the presidential directives to security agencies to bring an end to these dastardly acts.

On the other hand, the very day the Chief of Air Staff visited Sokoto and promised to crush the bandits terrorizing Sabon Birni LGA was the day the bandits attacked Gatawa town (just 25 kilometers to Sabon Birni, the local government headquarters) killing three persons and abducting others.

So, what’s really the problem? Why is it that despite several presidential directives, these killings have persisted and gradually spreading to so many states?

Hitherto, the bandits’ attacks were mainly restricted to Zamfara State and the Birnin Gwari axis but now, the attacks are gradually engulfing the entire North West.

To curtail and entirely eradicate banditry and bandits in the North West and elsewhere, there is the need for the military to urgently change their operational strategy.

First and foremost, the military operations should be entirely covert; the usual publicity and announcement of military operations should be stopped forthwith. It is needless to announce to the world that the president has given directive to crush bandits-sometimes many days even before the commencement of the operation.

The announcement and publicity will only give the bandits advance notice to retreat, relocate or lie low. This explains why when the military were busy in Katsina, elsewhere in Sokoto, the bandits attacked and killed over 70 in one fell swoop.

Therefore, please let’s just hear of their successes not their moves. Let the successes make the noise, not the moves!

Again, it’s high time the armed forces, especially the Air Force provide an effective and efficient Airforce Base in the troubled zone that can provide a very quick and rapid response within the shortest possible time.

Such base should be provided the state of the arts aerial surveillance and communication equipment that will enable them to quickly response to any attack within the shortest possible time.