Buratai Flags Off Military Operation In Southern Kaduna To Combat Terrorism

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai has pledged to end the attacks and killings by gunmen in Southern Kaduna communities as the military flagged off ‘Operation Harbin Kunama II’ against bandits terrorizing the troubled zone.

Besides, the Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and the Army Chief were in Kafanchan to launch the military operation, specifically meant to pursued the herdsmen to the forest and bushes in Southern Kaduna, with the aim of dislodging them from their hideouts.

Speaking at the occasion, Buratai said yesterday, “it is all about keeping our society safe as part of internal security responsibility by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, pointing out that “We are much aware of what is happening in Southern Kaduna; the various communal clashes, the farmers/herders clash and we are training our officers to be more professional to understand the basis of our field operations”.

According to him, the military operation that was flagged off in Southern Kaduna “will last for one month”, adding that “the troops will go into the nooks and crannies of this area, the hills and valleys to flush out all the criminals, bandits and cattle rustlers including kidnappers”.

He said: “you can see from this outing, traditional rulers have come out in full to support us. Our civil military relations have been extremely well. We held town hall meetings where the head of civil military affairs as well as the GOC were there. It was an eye opener. Some of the challenges that are facing the individual community were properly brought out”.

Meanwhile, Governor El-Rufai in his speech urged all the people in Southern Kaduna to embrace peace in order ensure that violence ends, noting that “violence can only end when people decide that violence does not work”.

According to him, “Somalia has been at war for decades but war is not yet over. People must understand that why the chief of Army Staff and his officers are ready to flush out the bandits we must be ready to tolerate one another. Our job as a state government is to provide the necessary support to the security agencies to preserve peace and to prosecute all those involved in any crime. My appeal as always is that let us recognize our common humanity”.