Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered air strikes against bandits, kidnappers and cattle rustlers that have been attacking remote communities around Dogon Gona forest in Niger State.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement said, Buhari gave the order after he received assurances that with the harmattan dust gradually easing its hold on the skies, the strike will happen this week.
The President, who described the repeated attacks leading to the losses of several lives in the communities “as a disaster for the nation,” had authorised the deployment of air power to support troops and policemen deployed to the “difficult terrain,” to counter the menace of the attackers operating in the forest area bordering Kaduna, Niger and Zamfara states.
The statement read: “In line with this directive, the Nigerian Air Force is setting up refueling facilities in Minna, Niger State to support the aircraft operations, giving assurances that given the improved weather conditions, a major exercise to ‘visually acquire targets’ and launch attacks will soon follow.
“The police command in Niger has equally given assurances that the planned dedicated air raids to complement the police helicopter gunship operations remain the best approach given the lack of motorised roads in the areas constantly under attack.”
President Buhari commiserated with the government and people of Niger State following the attacks and the loss of lives that followed, and assured that victim communities in the state will not be abandoned by the rest of the country.
