President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met with the nation’s service chiefs ahead of his medical check-up in London.
Buhari had since travelled out of the country after the meeting.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting in Abuja, the nation’s capital, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major-General Babagana Monguno, said the President gave an order to the service chiefs as well as heads of other security and intelligence agencies in the country to “identify and take out” bandits, kidnappers and their sponsors.
He said the president had told both the intelligence and operational elements that he will no longer tolerate a situation where bandits and kidnappers are the ones dictating the pace and setting the tone.
The NSA said the president has also kicked against a situation whereby security actions are reactionary rather than being proactive.
The NSA added that President Buhari also insisted that all the decisions approved at the National Security Council meeting last month including a ban on mining activities in Zamfara as well as no fly zone remains enforced until further notice to curb the rising insecurity in the state.
He said Buhari has also indicated his willingness to provide all resources needed by troops to put down the criminals.
“On the issue of kidnapping and banditry, this menace still persists, especially in the Northwest and the North-Central zones. Mr. President has been very emphatic, he has stated very clearly that this problem must be brought to an end, but using the traditional methods that the armed forces have been trained to deploy.
“Mr. President has made it very clear to both the intelligence and operational elements that the first assignment will be to identify the leaders of these bandits, kidnappers and take them out, in order to restore confidence in those areas.
“Mr. President has said that he will no longer tolerate a situation whereby bandits and kidnappers are the ones dictating the pace and setting the tone and he will not also condone a situation in which our own operations are reactionary rather than being proactive.
“He has also indicated his willingness to provide all the resources required by our own troops in order to put down these criminals. They must be brought down with all the ruthlessness that is required and whoever is working in collaboration with them will be brought to book.”
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