Agaju Madugba, Katsina
President Muhammadu Buhari has described the activities of bandits operating in parts of the country especially in the North as a challenge to the Federal government.
“You must locate and smoke them out wherever they exist,” Buhari said on Wednesday, through the acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, at Batsari, Katsina State.
Adamu who relayed Buhari’s message to members of the special task force fighting the bandits, at the Divisional Police headquarters, Batsari, said that the “activities of the bandits have challenged us and President Muhammadu Buhari has mandated us to flush them out from their various hideouts.
“I want you to take the fight to their abode and smoke them out. We shall give you all the necessary assistance and support. The bandits and other criminals must be flushed out from wherever they may be hiding.
“You were chosen for the job because of the confidence that the force headquarters has in you.”
The Batsari Local Government Area, Caretaker Chairman, Manir Muazu, told the police boss that suspected bandits attacked the Garimi/Magaji Ado ward in the area, on Tuesday, killing five persons with no fewer than ten others injured.
The Katsina State police command had on Tuesday, deployed members of the special squad referred to as “Operation Puff Adder” to various parts of the state, to check activities of bandits and kidnappers, operating in at least eight out of the 34 local government areas.
The membership of the squad was drawn from the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), IGP Special Tactical Squad (STS), Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD), Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and the IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
Apart from Batsari, bandits and kidnappers have virtually taken over Jibia, Safana, Dan-Musa, Faskari, Sabuwa, Dandume, Kankara and parts of Kafur local government areas of the state.