Kaduna seeks army’s support to combat banditry in state

Kaduna State Government has appealed to the new General Officer Commanding, GOC, One Mechanized Division, Major General Usman Mohammed, to dedicate troops that will aggressively patrol some hotspots in four Local Government Areas in the state.

Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, who made the appeal on Friday at the Division headquarters in Kaduna said that there are concerns regarding Igabi, Birnin Gwari, Giwa and Chikun Local Governments because bandits are hibernating in some communities in the four area councils.

The Commissioner specifically mentioned that armed bandits have killed, kidnapped, and injured many people in hotspots like Mile Tara, Ungwan Yako, Labbi and Polewaya, pleading that security needs to be strengthened along the areas.

Aruwan, who congratulated General Mohammed as the 36th GOC of One Mechanized Division, said that officers and men of the Division have played very crucial roles in the internal security of Kaduna State.

According to him, “In 2015, when we came on board, the state was faced with security challenges like cattle rustling, banditry and other criminalities.

“The Division played a leading role – along with other sister services and the police-in quelling the threat, and eventually, the situation was adequately contained.”

The Commissioner added, “The state government will not forget in hurry, the role officers and men of the division played in 2016/2017 in the heat of the security challenges in Southern Kaduna.”

Aruwan specifically praised the military high command for the foundation laying and commissioning of the Forward Operating Base, FOB, in Kafanchan in February/May 2017 respectively.

The Commissioner explained, “The FOB established by the Nigerian Army in Kafanchan was the first military base dedicated to internal security management in Southern Kaduna general area in nearly forty years.”

The Commissioner further explained that the personnel were drawn from 1 Division, before the take-over by the DHQ’s Operation Safe Haven, OPSH, saying that the troops of the DHQ’s are in five Local Government Areas of Southern Kaduna.

Aruwan also told the GOC that the officers and men of the Division and those of the Nigerian Navy in Kachia were instrumental in dousing the crises that emanated in Kajuru Local Government in 2017 and beyond, pointing out that they are still holding on with dedication, hard work and professionalism.

He added, “The story is the same in Birnin Gwari, Igabi, Giwa, Chikun and other emerging fronts in Zaria, Kubau, Makarfi, Kudan, Ikara, Soba and Lere local Government Areas.”