Kano State governor, Abba Yusuf, has conducted an on-the-spot assessment of communities affected by recent bandit attacks in Tsanyawa and Shanono local government areas.
He assured the residents of immediate reinforcement of security personnel and stronger intelligence operations to curb the resurgence of criminal activities.
The governor, who first visited the Joint Task Force (JTF) base in Tsanyawa, met with troops drawn from the Nigerian Army's 3 Brigade, Nigerian Air Force, Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Civil Defence and vigilante groups.
The commander, 3 Brigade, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Tukur, who received the governor, said the Joint Task Force (JTF) had intensified patrols across vulnerable areas, including Sundu, Yan-chibi and Yan-Ganau. He said despite recent incursions by bandits, the troops have remained resolute.
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"It is a privilege to have Your Excellency here. The troops are very happy to see the governor by himself. We have been confronting serious threats in the past few days, and your presence is a major encouragement," he said.
Addressing the troops, Governor Yusuf commended their bravery and reaffirmed the government's commitment to their welfare and logistics support.
"These security challenges are alien to Kano. By the grace of Allah, we will do whatever it takes to crush the activities of bandits and kidnappers. Those abducted will be rescued and reunited with their families," the governor said.
At Yankamaye village, Yusuf paid a condolence visit to the family of 70-year-old Hajiya Zahara'u Mohammed, who bandits recently killed. He told the residents that investigations revealed that over 95 per cent of the attackers were from neighbouring Katsina State, not foreign elements as previously suspected.
He pledged to establish permanent security posts in affected and border communities, train local youths as community guards and deploy drones and other technology-based surveillance tools.
In Shanono, the governor met another JTF unit where Brig.Gen. Tukur recounted a November 1 encounter in which two soldiers, a vigilante member and two civilians were killed, while several bandits were neutralised.
Yusuf assured the forces of increased federal support, saying he had already briefed President Bola Tinubu on the situation and secured commitments for additional security intervention teams.
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He urged residents to cooperate fully with security agencies through timely intelligence sharing and prayers, promising that his administration would also expand social amenities and infrastructure to stabilise the affected communities.
"We will not relent until peace is fully restored," the governor said.
