President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that Zamfara State be declared a no fly-zone. The National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd), disclosed...
President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that Zamfara State be declared a no fly-zone.
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd), disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing State House correspondents after a meeting of National Security Council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Monguno said the President had also approved a ban on mining activities in Zamfara to stop the rising insecurity.
The NSA, who also revealed that all non-state actors had been placed under surveillance, said the federal government would not hesitate to use kinetic means to restore normalcy in the country.
He said defense and intelligence organisations had been charged not to allow the country slide into anarchy.
Monguno added that the President charged the new service chiefs to reclaim all areas under the control of bandits, insurgents and kidnappers.
“We can no longer avoid to lose lives while operating within the legalities. We are not going to blackmailed . The government has the responsibility to assert its will.
“Citizens can reside wherever they want to reside . Anybody who is a criminal should be brought to book. The president has also warned against ethnic profiling. We have have enough of chaos .
“Any individual that thinks he can cause disunity, should have a rethink,” he said.
The five-hour meeting held at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa Abuja was attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
Others were the Ministers of Defence, retired Major General Bashir Magashi, Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, Interior, Rauf Aregbesola as well as Chief of Defence Staff Major General Lucky Irabor, Service Chiefs and Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.
The meeting held amidst the rising cases of kidnapping and banditry in the country
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Boko Haram Withdraws From Dikwa
By Idowu Isamotu dailytrust.com Tue Mar 02 2021
Boko Haram insurgents have pulled out of Dikwa after holding it control for hours.
Correspondents in Maiduguri say the insurgents left the town before the arrival of troops around 11:15am.
A source in Dikwa said the insurgents came in over 20 gun trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns to overpower troops on Monday night.
They razed some public buildings include the primary health care centre, local government secretariat, part of Shehu of Dikwa’s palace, the UN hub.
“They just pull out of Dikwa themselves at about 11:15 am. We are relieved now; they headed toward the new Marte axis, Airforce can monitor them and destroy them in the bushes,” the source said.
The number of people abducted in the taking cannot be independently verified yet.
Trapped
Thousands of civilians were trapped in Dikwa after Boko Harm insurgents took control of the town Monday night.
Soldiers had on Monday evening repelled an attack on the town. But the insurgents returned hours later and overpowered the troops.
Residents say the insurgents are roaming the streets and preaching to locals not to flee the town.
Residents are being told the insurgents are on their side, correspondents in Maiduguri say.
It comes as troops reinforce to retake the town.
Dikwa town is about 90km from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital and has experienced several attacks from the insurgents since the liberation of the town in 2016.
The town also hosts the military Super Camp 9 where the Army Chief visited last week and ordered the retaking of Marte, which is about 20km away.
Bukar Ahmed, a resident of Dikwa, wept as he related how insurgents told his neighbourhood to stay on.
“They said we should stay, ‘we are not here to harm you but the soldiers’. Their motorcycles and gun trucks are in the town.
“Boko Haram are in control of Dikwa as I speak with you, they are roaming the streets; help us talk to President Buhari to save our soul,” he said, weeping in a phone call.
A humanitarian worker said insurgents went to the United Nations hub in Dikwa.
Details are not clear as troops engage insurgents.
“The situation in Dikwa is scary, thousands of civilians are trapped, we need a quick response from troops to save lives,” the worker said.
“The town is under siege; the government must mobilise resource to salvage the situation as soon as possible.”
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