The Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja has stated that the migration of the criminal elements from the North West and North East has been noted by the Nigerian Army as it is developing appropriate contingency to combating the threat through the expansion Operation HADARIN DAJI.
General Lagbaja stated this when he received in audience the Governor of Katsina State Alhaji Dikko Radda at the Army Headquarters, Abuja Nigeria’s Capital.
He applauded the move by the state government to deploy cameras that keep an eye on the communities around the forest which will provide the necessary information and intelligence required by the troops to act appropriately in combating threats.
He therefore pledged that the Nigerian Army in Katsina state will work with the community watch officers established by the Katsina state government to tackle insecurity in the state.
“Expanding operation HADARIN DAJI will require the intervention of the Federal government as it is sustained by the government. We have also observed the migration of the criminal elements from the North West and North East and we have developed appropriate contingency to combat the threat by expanding the troops holding Operation HADARIN DAJI as we await the Federal government’s response on this”
“I want to appreciate the Governor and the people of Katsina state for the excellent working relationship established with the Nigerian Army formation and units deployed in the state. Reports from 17 Brigade and the units in Katsina have been encouraging”
“I have been informed of the support being received by my men from his excellency to the operations of 17 Brigade, donation of vehicles, the activation of OPERATION MESA in Katsina and support to families of our departed colleagues” stated the COAS.
The Governor of Katsina State Alhaji Dikko Radda expressed appreciation to the Nigerian Army for its support in managing and tackling insecurity that has affected the state.
He said he was at the army Headquarters to congratulate General Lagba and to seek further support and cooperation between the Nigerian army and the government of Katsina state.
Alhaji Dikko Radda appealed to the Army Chief and his men to expand Operation HADARIN DAJI to cover the nineteen local governments that are the most affected in his state.
“Without the presence of the Nigerian Army in Katsina, we wouldn’t know the condition the state would have been, but we have been getting support, as we continue to ask for more. Katsina has been suffering from banditry and other criminalities, sharing a border with Niger makes our situation peculiar with a span of over two hundred kilometers”
“We also share a border with the forest from about eight frontlines local governments, it is such a large forest that makes our communities even more vulnerable to attacks by bandits as there is hardly a day without incidents of attacks in the local governments”
He revealed that the state government made a move to engage the local people in gathering information with the establishment of community watch officers who will work hand in hand with the Military and the police and other security agencies to protect the communities.
Dominica Nwabufo
