No military solution to North West crisis – Shettima

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has sought the support of Nigerians for the federal government’s soon-to-be unveiled solution to the raging crisis in the North West.

Daily Trust reports that the zone has been battling with increased banditry that has cost hundreds of lives and displaced thousands more with many stakeholders already advocating for a different approach to the government’s military strategy to the crisis.

But the Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, reportedly kicked against amnesty programme for bandits and terrorists in the country last week, saying rather than repent, beneficiaries of such programmes see the programme as an avenue to regroup and attack innocent citizens.

But speaking in Kano on Sunday, the Vice President said the President Bola Tinubu is determined to redefine the meaning and concept of modern governance.

He said there cannot be a military solution to the crisis in the North West.

He said, “The crisis we have in the North West, further accentuated by poverty and social exclusion is something the president is determined to frontally confront and in the coming weeks, he is going to unveil the solution.

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“Unless we want to engage in an endless war of attrition, there cannot be a military solution to the crisis in the North-West There has to be a kinetic and non-kinetic solution. And President Bola Tinubu in the next couple of weeks will unveil the Pulaku solution which will address the grievances and social exclusion of our Fulbe cousins in the Northwest; towards addressing the root causes of all the banditry and insurgency in the nation.”

The VP, who was in Kano on a condolence visit to Kano state and the Emir of Bichi, Alhaji Nasiru Ado Bayero over the death of Malam Imam Galadanci, an in-law to the Sultan of Sokoto and the Emir, was received and led to the Emir’s residence by Kano state governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf.

At his Kano residence, the Emir of Bichi appreciated President Tinubu and the VP and expressed optimism that both of them would come up with policies and actions that will further engender development of the country.