President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja asked the Nigerian Army to join forces with the Nigeria Police and flush out bandits from Sokoto and Plateau states’ forests as well as other affected parts of the country.
The president, according to a statement by presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, gave the directive in a swift response to the killing of 22 people in Sokoto State and 10 others in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, this week.
The statement said 22 citizens lost their lives in Sokoto State when a community was attacked by armed bandits.
According to the statement, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, in a swift response to the president’s instruction, had already contacted the General Officers Commanding the army formations in the affected states.
He also said Buratai accordingly directed the GOCs to reinforce the police efforts to launch ferocious attacks against the bandits and bring them to justice.
Shehu added that Buhari also commiserated with the governments and people of the two states, assuring Governors Aminu Tambuwal and Simon Lalong of the federal government’s support in the efforts to put paid to the spate of attacks in the regions.
He also said the president prayed that Allah would comfort those who lost their beloved family members and friends in the attacks