Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, on Saturday said the Nigerian Army will continue to be ruthless with criminals, warning communities against shielding bandits and insurgents.
Buratai gave this warning when he visited the Army Super camp four, Faskari, which is the operational base of the troops in the Northwest.
He expressed the determination of the Army to fish out and kill the bandits, who have continued to terrorise Nigerians until the country had become completely free of banditry.
“The bandits and other criminals are not spirits. They live among people. Let me assure you, we shall continue to be ruthless with the criminals. We are determined to work harder along with the support of other sister agencies to achieve peace in Nigeria”
Buratai disclosed that from July 6 to September 12 this year, hundreds of bandits were neutralised, others arrested, while a large number of informants were also arrested from Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara States under Operation Sahel Sanity.
He urged residents to continue to cooperate with the Army by not relenting in disclosing the identity of criminals in their communities, saying this would go a long way in assisting in ensuring security in the country.
Buratai said, “The bandits and other criminals are not spirits. They live among people. Let me assure you, we shall continue to be ruthless with the criminals. We are determined to work harder along with the support of other sister agencies to achieve peace in Nigeria.
“But the earlier these criminals are not shielded, the sooner we will win the security challenges. I will urge our people, especially in the communities our men are in operation, to always supply us with credible information on the criminals so that together we will win the battle against insecurity.”
One of the media officers at the base, Major Adamu Ngulde, had earlier while briefing the chief of army staff, disclosed that the troops had killed 103 bandits and arrested 149 others in the last two months of the commencement of the operation.
He also disclosed that the troops arrested thirty-nine informants and collaborators of the bandits.