Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa (left) Wounded soldier and Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle during the visit in Sokoto
By A.I , Sokoto
Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mutawalle on Tuesday led the Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa to Sokoto, following instructions from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to relocate and end the banditry in the State.
The Minister while briefing the news men stated that their mission in the state was to eradicate the bandits terrorizing the Northwest region.
According to him, Nigeria is not a banana republic, it is a country governed by a constitution under a democratically elected President who wants to leave a good legacy.
“The President carefully selected northerners for key positions. Look at me: I am from Zamfara State, and the Chief of Defence is from Kaduna State.
“The Minister of Defence, Badaru, is from Jigawa State; the National Security Adviser is from Adamawa State, and the Minister of State for Police Affairs is also from the North.
“He carefully selected us because he knows our problem is insecurity. So we are here to flush out the bandits that have been terrorizing our region,” he said.
The Minister also addressed the troops, urging them not to be discouraged by recent events, including the killing of four soldiers and the burning of two MRAPs by bandits led by Bello Turji.
He explained that the President is concerned about what is happening in the Northwest region.
” He called me and the Chief of Defence Staff, directing us to leave our duties in Abuja and come to Sokoto to oversee the operation of our troops.
“However, I reassure the government and the people of the state that we will not leave until all the bandits in the region are decisively dealt with.
“You should be patient and prayerful for our forces. Sokoto is a land of prayers. You are prayer warriors. Support us with prayers. Be assured you will sleep with your two eyes closed. We need information from communities and intelligence. Provide us with all the intelligence you have so we can act swiftly and eliminate these enemies.
“We are here for action. I will remain here with you to coordinate the operation,” he told Governor Aliyu.
In response, Governor Aliyu assured them of continued support and cautioned against politicizing security issues, noting that bandits do not discriminate based on political affiliations.
The Governor also mentioned that the state government had provided operational vehicles to security operatives in the state.