President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday declared total war on bandits wreaking havoc in parts of the country, saying their days are numbered. The president, who was reacting to the killing, on Sunday, of over 40 people by bandits at Goronyo market, in Sokoto State, sent a tough warning to the criminals and declared, “The clock of your ultimate destruction is ticking as you will no longer have a place to hide.”
Buhari had earlier taken a critical look at the security situation in the country before news of the massacre in Sokoto State filtered in. He had boasted that the military and other security agencies were recording greater successes in the bid to rid the country of insecurity.
The president, however, counselled the Nigerian media on the need for accurate reportage of security and safety issues by replacing the usage of phrases, like “rising insecurity”, with “declining insecurity”.
But in Kaduna State, security forces reportedly killed 10 bandits in Kwanan Bataru, Giwa Local Government Area.
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, reacting to the killing in his state, called on the Nigeria Army to carry out coordinated operations in the North-west to help stamp out banditry in the region.
In a similar vein, Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom expressed concerns about recent attacks and kidnapping of students in schools across the country.
United States reiterated its readiness to lend support to Nigeria in its bid to contain insecurity.
Buhari, in a release by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, declared, “The days of the bandits are, indeed, numbered, because the military capabilities of our forces are being boosted by the acquisition and deployment of advanced equipment.”
He said, “The bandits are living in the fool’s paradise of invincibility, but reality will soon dawn on them harder than ever before.”
Buhari added, “The bandits are currently under desperate pressures, because of the intense and sustained air and ground operations against them in their hideouts by our security forces.
“The cowardly attacks on innocent people by the bandits show a rearguard action of criminals under pressure. But they will have no place to hide and our gallant security forces will not relent in the current offensive to defeat these callous enemies of humanity.”
The president appealed to Nigerians not to despair, because his administration was determined, more than ever before, to protect Nigerians from murderous criminal gangs with no respect for the sanctity of human of life. He extended his sympathy to the families of the victims of the Goronyo attack and called on the people to remain patient, as the military strategised on how to crush the bandits.
In yet another presidential message by Shehu, to felicitate with the Muslim Ummah, Nigerians of all faiths and the followers of Islam all over the world on the occasion of Maulud-Un-Nabiyy, Buhari gave a snapshot of the increased activities of the armed forces, the police, and intelligence agencies to effectively respond to the security challenges in the country. He said the increased cooperation from the citizenry, coupled with reinvigorated, dynamic, and energised police, security and military leadership was helping the administration score more victories against terror, criminality, and economic sabotage.
He argued that the reality of declining insecurity should replace the inaccurate narrative of rising insecurity in the country.
“While there is work to do, the men and women in uniform, who are helping the nation to achieve this goal, desire our collective appreciation and encouragement to do even more,” Buhari said. “The whole country and its mass communications systems have a duty in this regard,” he added.
He said the government expected and intended for those trends to continue, and called on the media to address the tone, content, and standards of reporting on security and safety measures.
He said the time had come for the media to revise the prefixes “rising insecurity” with “declining insecurity.”
In his felicitation with the Muslim Ummah to mark the Eid-Ul-Maulud on Tuesday, which has been declared a public holiday throughout the federation, Buhari said, “I am delighted to send greetings of peace, unity and goodwill to the Muslim Ummah, fellow citizens, and Muslims all over the world as they observe and celebrate Eid-ul- Maulud.”
He urged Muslims to strive for “forgiveness and closeness to the noble life and teachings of the Prophet (SAW), whose birthday is being marked on this blessed day. On this auspicious occasion, I wish you all the blessings of today.”