302 Mopol, Police Special Forces arrive Kaduna to tackle banditry

The Nigerian government has deployed to Kaduna, 302 officers and men of Mobile Police, Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and Police Special Forces, under the auspices of Operation Puff Adder II, to fight bandits that have been terrorizing communities across the State.

While flagging off the deployment of the security personnel at Mobile Police I Squadron in Kaduna, Governor Nasir El-Rufai said the state had been facing banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and armed robbery.

• Extra-judicial killing: How Osinbajo’s intervention led to conviction of dismissed SARS Operative
• Fire kills infant, destroys 620 shelters at Maiduguri IDPs camp

Represented by the State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, El’rufai charged the security personnel to consolidate on the gains of Operation Puff Adder I, by helping restore peace to the state.

Daily Trust gathered that the officers and men would be drafted to the troubled areas of Birnin-Gwari, Giwa, Igabi, Chikun and Kajuru local government areas, to help restore peace in those areas.

In his remarks, the State’s Police Commissioner, Umar Muri, said it is a reality that in recent times, the state and the country have been grappling with all forms of banditry due to increased proliferation of illegally acquired arms and other forms of weapons.

He said the aim of the Operation Puff Adder II, is to reclaim the public space from criminals that are bent on threatening the internal security order.

The CP said major achievements have been recorded in the state from the combined efforts of the state government and the Police, including other sister agencies.

Muri added that the dynamic nature of crime continues to present new trends which have made it imperative to re-evaluate strategies and to bring in new operational architecture to sustain the gains already recorded within the framework of a well-entrenched intelligence-led Community Policing Initiative.

Community support

He assured the state that they will continue to do all within their powers to guarantee a stable security order across the state.

Muri added that the police cannot do it alone, no matter how well trained, equipped or motivated without the support of the community that they are engaged to serve.

The Police Commissioner, therefore, called for full support of the civil populace, youth associations, traditional rulers, market bodies, cultural associations, and religious leaders among others to put all hands on deck for the achievement of this all-important task.