Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has called on Zamfara State governor Dauda Lawal to, rather than condemning efforts, support troops to defeat banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling in the state.
Major General Edward Buba, the director of defence media operations, made the call while reacting to the governor’s allegations against the military in its operations in the state.
The governor said there is no political will to end banditry, adding that he is helpless without control over the security agencies in the state, including the military.
High-profile government officials have been linked with banditry in the state, including traditional rulers.
Responding, General Buba said that while the military would not like to discuss issues with the governor, it must be noted that the Armed Forces of Nigeria are a professional force subservient to political authority, particularly the political leadership of Zamfara State.
He said, “The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to weighty allegations labelled against the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) by the Zamfara State governor in a recent interview on Channels TV. At this moment, the AFN makes it unequivocally clear that it is a professional force subservient to political authority, particularly the political leadership of Zamfara State.
“The military will not join issues with the governor; rather, we choose the part of cooperation over conflict with the state governor and look forward to constructively engaging with him on these matters.”
General Buba revealed that troops of “Operation Hadarin Daji” deployed to Zamfara State had lost nine personnel in June 2024.
He said, “These killed-in-action personnel are a painful testament to our tireless efforts, commitment and sacrifice to restoring peace and security in the state. Nevertheless, the allegations against the military and security forces operating in the state need to be analysed impartially and understood. The situation underscores that winning the war without the state’s people’s support is nearly impossible.”
He advised the governor to follow the example of other states and establish his state’s security outfit to complement traditional security agencies.
He said, “Interestingly, despite the state being described as the epicentre of kidnapping, the state has no internal security operation outfit to coordinate the activities of security agencies operating in the state, as is found in other states. This situation leaves much to be desired.”
However, he assured that the military would continue to work tirelessly to restore safety and security across the country.
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