North-West governors have declared their intention to flush out bandits in various forests around the region.
This was as they issued a warning to people in the forest in the area to leave before the security agencies commence operations that will end bandits’ activities in the concerned states.
Announcing the development, Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari while speaking in a program on Liberty TV, said the decision was borne out of the need to end various attacks from the bandits in recent time.
According to him, “Whoever remains in the forest would be regarded as a bandit. Therefore, the security forces will deal with them ruthlessly.”
He, however, said the governors in the region are ready to forgive bandit members who surrender their arms.
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters on Monday said that a full military assault would be deployed against bandits in the North as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Minister of Defence, Major General Salihi Magashi (rtd), said the country was in a critical situation following the resurgent terrorists’ attacks, banditry and abductions.
Magashi said: “The Federal Government has inalienable responsibilities to provide security to the people and territories of Nigeria and would not shirk these responsibilities.
“The Federal Government is single-mindedly committed to the sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and security of the nation. We will leave no stone unturned to deliver on these national aspirations and values.”