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DEFENCE

Synergy Responsible for Success in Fight Against Banditry – Commissioner

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The Kaduna State Government says synergy among security agencies is responsible for the success so far recorded in the fight against banditry and other forms of criminality in the North West zone.

The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, said this at the second quarter North-West Zone security meeting organised by the Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday in Kaduna.

Aruwan stressed the need for stakeholders to re-commit to working together toward checkmating insecurity in the zone.

According to him, considering the current profile of security challenges where banditry is now fused with terrorist threats, collaboration, especially among various state commands of the DSS is more pertinent.

“The different constitutional mandates of security agencies and the immense strain on their numerical strength demand that they must be on the same page, especially in terms of intelligence gathering and sharing.

“We have previously emphasised the need for greater inter-agency collaboration. Happily, we are seeing some significant improvement in this regard,’’ Aruwan said.

He said that “team work makes the dream work’’ with each one bringing a “crucial piece to the intelligence puzzle’’.

The commissioner said that this was necessary especially in “times when the challenges have blurred state lines and operate with no delineation between territories’’.

“The underlying psychology which we as state governments and state commands must work with at this time is that of one team, one fight.

“Our states must work as one team because our fight has clearly become one fight.’’

According to him, anything less than collaborative spirit may turn our best efforts into liabilities instead of assets to the entire security architecture.

He said that collaboration was both a means of achieving an objective and an objective itself, adding “the benefits to each state, DSS and to sister security agencies are numerous’’.

“Closer collaboration will enable individual state government plan for adequate financial support to fill logistic and technical gaps,’’ Aruwan said.

Aruwan said that the various states in the zone and DSS commands must consolidate on existing collaborative efforts and intensify same toward protecting lives and property of the people.

Earlier, DSS Director in Kaduna State, Mr Idris Koya said the periodic meeting was originated by the Director-General of the DSS, Alhaji Yusuf Bichi.

Koya said the meeting was to enable the state directors in the zone come together and brainstorm on the changing spate of insecurity bedeviling the North West.

“To exchange ideas and proffer possible solution that would aid in tackling contemporary threats effectively, efficiently and with minimum cost.

According to him, the region is currently confronted by threats of kidnapping, banditry, insurgency, famers/herders conflicts and arms trafficking.

He added that concerted effort was required to address those threats, including the input of the respective state government.

“Our successful operations are made possible and easy through the requisite working tools provided by the state governments.

“I wish to recommend to my colleagues from other security outfits to tow similar pattern of convening regular zonal security meetings toward robust discussion on security threats confronting the zone.’’

The Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, Mr Umar Muri, who spoke on behalf of sister agencies, said the meeting was organised at the right time.

According to Muri, there must be synergy in the fight against banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities in the zone. (NAN)

DEFENCE

Terrorism: ECOWAS to Raise $2.4bn to Fund Counter-terrorism Standby Force

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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it is working to set up a counter terrorism force to tackle security threats within the sub-region.

The Commissioner Political Affairs, Peace and Security of ECOWAS, Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, stated this at the opening of a three-day consultative meeting of Commandants of the three designated ECOWAS Training Centres of Excellence.

The three centres of excellence are the National Defence College, Nigeria, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Ghana, and Ecole de Maintien de la Paix Alioune Blondin Beye, Mali.

The consultative engagement is a bi-annual event coordinated by the Directorate of Peacekeeping and Regional Security of ECOWAS.

It is to support training, capacity building, research and development of the ECOWAS Standby Force, and the general peace and security within the sub-region.

Reports says that Mali which is housing one of the training centres of excellence was absent at the meeting.

This may not be unconnected with the recent move by the country alongside Niger and Burkina Faso to exit the ECOWAS community.

Musah said that terrorism was cascading across the region and there was need to have counter terrorism forces to contain its spread.

“This is the decision, and in the coming weeks,  ECOWAS has already with the Chief of Defence Staffs, developed operational modalities, the concept of operations and everything for us to aggregate.

“It will be something like an advance rapid reaction force of a battalion that will be able to confront terrorists’ bases.”

He explained that as part of the resolution of the authority of Heads of States, 2.4 billion dollars would be raised to fund the ECOWAS standby force to tackle the security challenges headlong.

“The Heads of States have decided that on the first year, we must raise about 2.4 billion dollars to support the operation of this force in order to face the terrorist.”

Musah said out of the amount, the Heads of States have directed member states contribute one billion dollars to commence the operation of the stand-by force.

He also explained that Ministers of Defence and Finance from the sub-region would be meeting to fashion out funding modalities for the force.

“This brings me to why this exercise is so critical today.

“If you look at our region, it is being ravage by terrorists. Today Burkina faso has overtaken Afghanistan as the most terrorised state on earth, and Africa has become home to terrorists organisations.

“Elsewhere in the world there are opportunistic terrorists attacks like we saw in some countries not too long ago.

“We are faced with the nightmare of having one of our member states being completely occupied by terrorist groups.

“If they set up a front base in one country then no country is safe, and we have already seen the impact of that on some of the coastal countries –  Benin, Togo, Ghana and Cote d’voir – over the past few years.”

The ECOWAS commissioner, however, said Nigeria has been able to degrade the Boko Haram terrorists.

“In Nigeria, thanks to the efforts of the Nigerian Government, Boko haram have been degraded to the extent that they do not post a sustainable threat to the peace and security of Nigeria.”

Earlier, the Commandant National Defence College, Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu while welcoming participants to the meeting, said West Africa was the only region that assigned training centres with special mandate.

He, therefore, urged the participants to take advantage of the opportunity to exchange useful ideas to enhance operations against terrorist groups in the region. (NAN)

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DEFENCE

Police Arrest 22 Suspected Armed Robbers, 36 Rapists in Katsina

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The Police Command in Katsina State, says within the month of April, it arrested about 22 suspected armed robbers, and 36 persons in connection to rape and sodomy cases in the state.

The Command’s spokesman, ASP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, confirmed this while briefing newsmen on the command’s achievements within the month under review.

Sadiq-Aliyu said that 10 murder suspects were also arrested during the period.

He disclosed that 81 cases of major crimes, such as armed robbery, kidnapping, culpable homicides, cattle rustling among others were reported.

“Within the period, 69 cases were charged to court, as a total number of 145 suspects were arrested in connection with these suspected cases.

“A total number of 58 suspects were arrested for various offences such as criminal force, intimidation, inciting disturbance, theft, and belonging to gang of brigands, among others.

“Also, the command has succeeded in neutralising 12 suspected bandits, rescued over 30 kidnapped victims, and recovered 492 rustled animals,” Sadiq-Aliyu said.

He further revealed that on May 5, the command successfully foiled a bandit attack on two commercial motor-vehicles at Unguwar Boka village, along Funtua-Gusau road, and rescued 52 passengers.

According to him, a luxurious bus conveying passengers from Onitsha en route Gusau, Zamfara State, and a Volkswagen Golf-3 en route Zaria from Gusau, were attacked by suspected bandits, forcing the driver to veer off the road into the nearby bushes.

“Upon receipt of the report, promptly, the DPO mobilised operatives and responded to the scene, where they engaged the assailants in a fierce gun duel, successfully thwarted the kidnapping attempt, and rescued all the passengers unhurt. 

“Efforts have been intensified to ensure the arrest of the fleeing suspects. The investigation is still ongoing,” the police spokesman said. (NAN)

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DEFENCE

NDA Conducts Range Classification, Urges Residents to Stay Away

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The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), says it will  conduct Range Classification Exercise for Cadets of 72  Regular Course , advising residents to avoid trespassing.

The academy’s Public Relations Officer, Maj. Mohammed Maidawa, made the announcement in a statement in Kaduna on Tuesday.

Maidawa said:  “NDA wishes to inform the general public, especially inhabitants of Mando,Tsamiya, Kauya and Afaka general area that it will be conducting a Range Classification Exercise for cadets of 72 Regular Course .

He said the exercise has been scheduled to be held from Wednesday  to Thursday at NDA Open Range Afaka.

He said, “The NDA assures the general public that all necessary safety measures have been put in place for successful conduct of the exercise.

“However, the general public is advised to avoid trespassing in the general area throughout the period of the exercise.”(NAN)

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