Comprehensive Military Offensive Against Non-State Actors
Nigeria’s military high command has revealed its intention to launch a large-scale military operation targeting non-state actors responsible for the ongoing killings in Zamfara, Plateau, Benue, and Southern Kaduna. The military commanders have convened to devise lasting solutions to the security challenges, vowing not to tolerate the continuous loss of innocent lives, particularly women and children, in the affected states.
Dismissal of Amnesty Proposal and Encirclement Strategy
The Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, dismissed the proposal for an amnesty program for bandits, citing the exploitation of an existing amnesty in the state by armed bandits for terrorizing the population. He emphasized the need to encircle and eliminate the bandits, revealing that the Chief of Operations and Intelligence of the Nigerian Army were working together to synchronize the operations of the 1st and 8th Divisions in Kaduna and Sokoto. The strategy aims to restrict the movement of the bandits and ensure the security of the state.
Addressing Insecurity and Collaboration with State Governors
Major General Lagbaja expressed the military’s commitment to finding a lasting solution to the insecurity plaguing Zamfara, Plateau, Benue, and Southern Kaduna. He highlighted the importance of a secure environment for development, agriculture, and education. The army chief called for collaboration between the military and state governments, urging stakeholders to participate in a meeting to discuss the situation before resorting to kinetic measures. The governors of Zamfara and Plateau states, Dauda Lawal and Caleb Mutfwang, respectively, sought the support of the army and security agencies in ending the security challenges in their respective regions.
