Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, says there is no going back on the campaign to end all forms of insecurity in the country by 2025.
Speaking in Zamfara, Matawalle said remarkable progress has been made so far, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s mandate to ensure that Nigerians operate freely without oppression by non-state actors.
Zamfara state and large part of the North West have been a playground for different armed bandits and terrorist groups, kidnapping and killing at will.
Many farming communities have been deserted, and others operating under the mercy of criminal groups.
But in the past few months, the Nigerian army and other security agencies have been carrying out massive military campaigns against the armed groups.
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, says the 2025 target to clear all criminal enclaves remains sacrosanct.
The senior government official noted that the expansion work on the Zaria – Zamfara – Sokoto highway and Ilela – Badagry road, will not only aid security operations but clear the path for economic growth and create more jobs.
On the presence of the new terrorist group called Lakurawa, the Minister said security operations have closed in on the group which exists only in Kebbi and Sokoto States, and that more troops would be deployed there and in Zamfara State.
Matawalle called on the people of the zone, especially Zamfara State, to continue to support President Tinubu’s administration to succeed in transforming the Country through the different reforms he had initiated, which he thinks will benefit the North with several development projects that are capable of eradicating poverty.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
