CRIME WAVE: Army’s Special Forces off to Kogi soon — COAS

THE Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur
Buratai, yesterday said the Nigerian Army would
soon deploy Special Forces to Kogi to help tackle
crime in the state.

Buratai disclosed this when he paid a courtesy
call on Governor Yahaya Bello at the
Government House in Lokoja.

The army chief said plans were at an advanced
stage to deploy the troops to the affected areas
in the state.

He said: “I want to assure you that very soon we
will deploy Special Forces to the state. That is
why I came here with the Commander, Army
Headquarters Garrison; he is getting them ready
and by Monday they should be on ground. They
will come with their vehicles and their
sustenance, so very soon they will come in and
begin the operation.”

Buratai expressed regrets that previous efforts
at containing insecurity in the state had failed,
assuring of the army’s commitment to tackling
the security challenge.

Buratai also commended the efforts of other
security agencies in the state in checking
insecurity.

Responding, Bello decried the rising cases of
kidnapping and armed banditry in some parts of
the state and said the situation was deteriorating
as new cases of kidnapping were being reported
on a daily basis.

Bello solicited the support of the Federal
Government to help rid the state of criminals,
noting “With the support of the military and
other security agencies in the state, the security
situation in the state improved tremendously.

But the situation has changed, recently new cases
are reported on a daily basis and this is
frustrating. It is so bad that some travelers who
hitherto pass through the state have started
running away from the state. That is why we are
soliciting the assistance of the Federal
Government to help us with equipment and the
force to clear the hills and forest where they are
hiding.”

According to him, he state government had
adopted measures to improve the situation in
the state and said the state government recently
launched a security awareness campaign known
as “ Operation Know Your Neighbour.”

He emphasized the need for citizens to be
conscious of happenings around them, adding
that all buildings linked to any kidnap kingpin
would be demolished.

Buratai was on a working visit to army
formations in the state.