Chukwuemeka Okonkwo, commander of
operation safe haven in Kaduna, says the military does not have enough manpower
to tackle the violence in the southern part of the state.
Speaking with reporters after a
security meeting presided over by Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna, Okwokwo
said the military is strategising on how to boost security.
The commander said more soldiers
will be deployed in the area to tackle the “criminal elements” responsible for
the killings and destruction in the area.
“What we have were attacks on
some communities and reprisal attacks. You have Kataf youths, Fulani militias
and the criminal elements of both sides,” Okonkwo said.
“Any incident is enough to spark
off crisis in that area; there have been lingering disputes and animosities,
banditry and cattle rustling there.
“We have reviewed our operations.
We are going to close ranks. We are going to be more robust in the days to
come. If one or two attacks took place, three were prevented. If you know the
area very well, the communities are far and dispersed, they are several
kilometres apart from each other. The terrain is difficult to access with
vehicles.
“And we have limitation of
manpower but of course you know that we are committed. But be that as it may,
we are going to get more troops. We are strategising, we will deploy as much as
possible to shorten our response time. Perhaps, we used to respond a bit late,
but if we had not responded, we could have had more casualties.”
The commander called on
communities in Southern Kaduna to embrace peace, adding that a conducive
atmosphere will be created for them to meet, dialogue and resolve issues
amicably.
Earlier, Nasir el-Rufai, the
governor, said his administration has done everything within its constitutional
powers to bring peace to the area.
‘’We answered the decades old
demand for a permanent military base by working with the Federal Government to
deploy a forward operating base of the Nigerian Army in Kafanchan,” he said.
“Our government purchased an
estate to provide accommodation for a permanent mobile police squadron in the
area. Also, deployed in area are troops from Operation Safe Haven and Nigerian
Army Special Forces, complemented by two mobile police squadrons.”
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It's a shame to hear that the military lacks the required manpower to tackle internal violence. This translates to the fact that we are on our own in the eventual attack or aggression from external forces. Oh God of creation, deliver us (Nigerians) from evil leaders.
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