Army vows to crush insurgents ‘to make Nigeria a safe place for all’

The Nigeria Army is focused on crushing insurgents, bandits and other criminal elements to make the country a safe place for all, according to Maj. Gen. Faruk Yahaya, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Mechanised, Kaduna.
Yahaya, while flagging off exercise “Ayem Apkatuma” on Thursday in Minna, said that the goal was to end kidnapping, banditry, cattle rustling and other criminal activities  in the country, particularly in Niger.
He commended security personnel of other sister services for their cooperation and collaboration with the military in the fight against banditry in Niger, and appealed to members of the public to offer useful information toward achieving the desired results.
Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State, in his remarks, said that the state government would continue to support the efforts of security agencies to enhance their activities.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Ibrahim  Matane, the governor appealed to Niger residents to cooperate with the security agencies to make the state a better place.
Bello commended security formations for their doggedness and commitment towards finding a lasting solution to security challenges, saying that the exercise was timely and would complement government’s effort in Shiroro, Rafi and Magama Local Government Areas.
“The combined operation will shore up efforts to rid the state of criminal elements,” he said.