Kaduna killings: Buhari okays new army battalion, police command

In an effort to stem the rising tide of banditry and killings in the area, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the establishment of a new Battalion of the Nigerian Army and a new Police Area Command, in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

According to a statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the president on media and publicity, in Abuja on Monday, the president  strongly condemned the latest massacre of innocent Nigerians in the area.

It quoted the president as saying:  “I am deeply outraged by this unwarranted, unprovoked and reckless destruction of lives by bandits who belong to the lowest level of civilization. I feel the pains and devastation of the families of the victims, and this administration will do everything possible to ensure we defeat these enemies of humanity.”

It explained that the new Army Battalion and the Police Area Command are the latest in a series of law enforcement measures to ensure more effective protection of lives and property, in and around Benue, Kaduna, Taraba, Zamfara and Nasarawa States.

The statement recalled that last week the Nigerian Air Force took delivery of two new helicopter gunships, for deployment to parts of the country affected by banditry, adding that a Quick Response Wing has also been established by the Nigerian Air Force in Taraba State, while a Joint Military Intervention Force is fully on ground in Benue.

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President Buhari assured that security remains a priority for his government and his administration will not tolerate the persistent killing of innocent people in order to set Nigerians against one another.

It further  quoted him as saying: “These persistent killings are not spontaneous; there are subterranean forces with a sinister agenda to instigate war in the country for selfish purposes.”

“Although unconventional war is particularly complicated, our security forces are making rigorous efforts to better understand these enemies with a view to decisively checkmating their evil attacks.”

President Buhari extended his condolences to the families of the victims, the government and the people of Kaduna State over this unfortunate tragedy, assuring that his government will never abandon them to their fate.