The Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Mutawalle, has sought for the support of the media and other segments of the society in the fight to eliminate banditry in the Northwest.
The Minister made the plea during his second visit to Sokoto state on Tuesday as directed by President Bola Tinubu over the recent escalation in bandits' attacks in the region.
"The fight is not for Mutawalle, Federal, state and security agencies alone. Is for all Nigerians that wish this country well."
"Therefore, journalists have a greater role to play because we know the bandits have been flooding social media platforms with all sorts of propaganda.
" Our media houses must continue to report successes recorded by our gallant military in the fight against banditry and insurgency.
"Just recently, the military dealt a big blow to the miscreants by neutralizing a notorious bandits' kingpin, Halidu Sububu who happened to be their major supplier of arms and ammunition. And there were others kingpins who were sent to early graves too," he said
Mutawalle noted that, he was in Sokoto to reassess the successes recorded so far and to restartegize, assuring that the bandits would no longer enjoy any breathing space any where in the country.
He said Operation "Fansan Yamma' which literally means "Salvage the West", launched by the military would be similar to the operation that brought down Boko Haram insurgents in the NorthEast
"We are going to deploy all the military might and create wider brigade in the Northwest region. We will never rest or allow the criminals breathing space."
"We must stop them from moving freely no matter how they blackmail or make propaganda and mischiefs against our operations. They will never distract in our effort to secure lives and properties of our people.
"The moral of our gallant soldiers is high. And my visit is to boost it further, just as We appreciates their sacrifices for the country," he said
He, however, commended the Sokoto state government for its continuous support to the military, calling on governors in the region to work collectively towards achieving lasting peace.
