President Muhammadu Buhari has established a joint military/police operation force known as “Operation Accord” to crush bandits that have taken over the states of northwest Nigeria. The president indicated that Operation Accord will go after the bandits in Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto states to retrieve the states from the criminals and restore peace and security in the troubled zone. The new security structure has been mandated to sustain improved surveillance, utilizing the night vision aircraft already deployed under “Operation Accord’’.
President Buhari in a statement by Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, indicated that the operation was commenced three weeks ago. He expressed his optimism that, “Nigeria’s military has displayed its capabilities in the past and will show it again by dealing with the current challenges.”
President Buhari assured Nigerians that the nation’s armed forces are fully capable of dealing with the challenges of banditry and terrorism. He appealed for more patience, adding that the military is taking appropriate steps to block gaps being exploited to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens in the troubled northwest states.
The President also appealed to the people of Katsina State to be patient and supportive of the ongoing military operations in the state while sympathizing with those who are bereaved, injured, and lost properties.
President Buhari warned that taking to the streets on protest could distract the military operations. He 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;” adding: “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.”