Buhari Launches Army Operation Against Armed Bandits, Others In Zamfara

Cattle rustlers and armed bandits terrorizing Zamfara State are in for a tough time with the official launch of Operation Harbin Kunama in Dansadau forest of the state by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday.

The choice of Dansadau Emirate in Maru local government of Zamfara is significant as the area is one of the worse hit by the activities of armed bandits and cattle rustlers.

President Buhari, who was decked in Army uniform, said securing the country remains a top priority of his administration.

The president, who arrived at the venue of the event on board a NAF helicopter alongside Governor Abdulaziz Yari and other top government officials around 5pm, held a meeting with the service chiefs, who were all present, before he addressed the Special Forces deployed for the exercise.

In his brief address to the Special Forces deployed to the forest, Buhari said it was a long time since he saw a field exercise managed so well like the one in Dansadau.

He said even before elections, they identified security, economy and war against corruption as three important things for the country, which are relevant and nobody had been able to disprove their appreciation of the situation.

In his remarks, Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, said the security situation in the country deteriorated in the past for lack of political will to tame the menace. 

The host governor, Mr. Yari, said the troops would remain in the forest until all criminal elements were flushed out.