ABUJA, June 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has urged for patience in the military’s fight against bandits in north-western states.
Last week in Katsina state 150 gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on residents, looting shops and stealing cattle in the village of Kadisau.
In a statement tweeted by his spokesperson, President Buhari said he had approved a joint military and police operation to fight the bandits in the states of Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto.
“President Buhari appeals to the people of Katsina state to be patient and supportive of the ongoing military operations in the state, while sympathising with those who are bereaved, injured and lost properties,” said president’s spokesperson Garba Shehu.
Last month, Nigeria’s military said it had launched air strikes to halt a number of attacks.
Dozens of soldiers and civilians were last week killed in twin attacks by militants in north-eastern Borno state.
Days earlier some 20 people were killed and 20 injured during an attack in north-western state of Katsina by bandits who are often accused of involvement in cattle rustling and kidnapping for ransom.
A decade-long insurgency in the north-east by Boko Haram militants, including a faction that fights under the banner of the Daesh group, has left thousands of people dead and forced many more from their homes.
Deadly violence related to cattle has been going on for years in Nigeria – even longer than the northern Islamist insurgency and southern oil militancy.
Meanwhile, the US has condemned the recent spate of “senseless and brazen killings” in northern Nigeria.
“The US calls on the government of Nigeria to do more to strengthen ongoing efforts to address this violence, hold those responsible accountable and protect ?civilians,” the US embassy said in a statement. — NNN-AGENCIES
