The National Security Adviser, Major-General Babagana Monguno on Tuesday quoted President Buhari as directing the nation’s service chiefs to identify masterminds of banditry and kidnapping as well as the sponsors with a view to taking them out.
The NSA told State House correspondents that Buhari handed down the directive at a meeting he had with the service chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Monguno said, “On the issues of kidnapping and banditry, this menace still persists, especially in the North West and the North-Central zones. Mr President has been very emphatic. He has stated clearly that this problem must be brought to an end, but using the traditional methods that the armed forces have been trained to deploy. Mr President has made it very clear to both the intelligence and operational elements that the first assignment will be to identify the leaders of these bandits, kidnappers and take them out, in order to restore confidence in those areas. Mr President has said that he will no longer tolerate a situation whereby bandits and kidnappers are the ones dictating the pace and setting the tone and he will not also condone a situation in which our own operations are reactionary rather than being proactive. He has also indicated his willingness to provide all the resources required by our own troops in order to put down these criminals. They must be brought down with all the ruthlessness that is required and whoever is working in collaboration with them will be brought to book. The President has also declared that there will be no adjustment in whatever the National Security Council has already laid out until normalcy is restored. He is also aware of attempts by certain elements, working in cahoots with all kinds of people in and out of the country to continue to exploit the minefields, especially in Zamfara State. A ban has been placed on mining and that ban has to be enforced. People have to comply with whatever the President has laid out. Of course, we, in the intelligence domain are aware that there are individuals and groups who are planning to link up with all kinds of non-state actors in order to frustrate the efforts of the government in implementing the ban on mining, as well as enforcing the no-fly-zone so that no rotary aircraft will land, drop whatever and pick up whatever. That has to be enforced. This is the directive from the President. I am to send a warning to those people who think they are in close proximity with those who have the instruments to make the space easy for criminals; those people who think they have some kind of authority, who are engaging in all kinds of hocus pocus in all kinds of jiggery-pokery or skulduggery, those people will be brought down to their knees. It is extremely important for these people. I am sending out a message to them, anybody who thinks he can continue to pull whatever resources he has at his disposal, to frustrate the efforts of the central government in bringing about peace and security will have himself to blame.”