BANDITRY/KIDNAPPING: Army hails Kogi, Nasarawa State govts for opening access road to facilitate war against criminalities.

The Nigerian Army (NA) has commended the Kogi State Government and its Nasarawa State counterpart for heeding its advice to construct access roads to remote and isolated areas so as to facilitate the war against criminalities.

Such access roads “will no doubt minimise if not eradicate incessant banditry, kidnapping and armed robbery incidences committed by fleeing terrorists and armed bandits in the general area. Additionally, creating access into such remote and isolated areas with attendant infrastructural development will further bring governance and development closer to the people of the hitherto ungoverned spaces as well as enhance security in the areas,” Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Sagir Musa, said Sunday in a statement.

“The NA wishes to use this opportunity to call on other states to emulate the good examples as demonstrated by the Governments of Nasarawa and Kogi States in these strategic efforts,” he said.

The Nigerian Army Spokesman recalled that “on the 28th of September 2020, the Nasarawa State Government, on the advice of the Nigerian Army commenced the opening up of access through Kenyehu Uttu Forest and contiguous hills in Toto Local Government Area of the state.”

Following that example, the Kogi State Government has started the construction of an access road from Kpokpolobi to Uttu Forest.

The Nigerian Army had called for the construction of access roads after the 4 Special Forces Command of the Nigerian Army located in Doma Nasarawa State, on September 20, 2020, conducted clearance operations in Uttu – Kpokpolobi forest and contiguous hills in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State where identified terrorists’ hideouts were destroyed. During the operation, no fewer than 778 family members of suspected terrorists and bandits consisting mostly women and children were rescued by troops. Several suspected terrorists were neutralised and large cache of arms and ammunition were captured from the criminals.

“The NA uses this opportunity to reassure the general public that it remains resolute and focused in the fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of criminalities in Nigeria,” Colonel Musa said.