#TrackNigeria – Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Tukur Y. Buratai has expressed the Army’s support for decisions taken by civil authorities to end insecurity.
Buratai made this assertion Wednesday when Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle visited the Army Headquarters.
‘The Nigerian Army is in support of whatever the civil authorities decide to bring an end to insecurity in whatever part of the country” the Army Chief reportedly said. He emphasised that the Army remains neutral, objective and apolitical.
The COAS also congratulated the governor on his election and his efforts towards finding a lasting solution to insecurity in Zamfara state.
The Governor was at the Army Headquarters to show appreciation to the Chief of Army Staff and personnel of the Army for their efforts to combating banditry activities in Zamfara State.He noted that the efforts provided the enabling environment for dialogue and negotiation to take place between the State government and the bandits leading. This he added has led to serious improvements in security and the release of over 120 persons including foreign nationals.
One of the cardinal parts of the Zamfara state dialogue with the bandits is the appeal by the bandits through the State Governor to the Army urging them to suspend or scale down its operations as a condition for the bandits to surrender and lay down their arms.
Governor informed the Chief of Army Staff that the Zamfara state government was ready to support the Army in its efforts to end insecurity/banditry in Zamfara state.
Also during the visit, Buratai informed the governor of the Civil Military Cooperation projects conducted in the state in order to win the hearts and minds of the locals. These projects include provision of medical outreaches, construction of boreholes in rural communities across the remote areas as well as the building of classrooms in some localities.
Buratai spoke amid reports of on-going dialogue among stakeholders in Zamfara towards finding a lasting solution to banditry in the state.
