Informants Hampering War Against Banditry in Sokoto, North-West – Army

Informants Hampering War Against Banditry in Sokoto, North-West – Army

From Bashir Rabe Mani, Sokoto

The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 8 Division, Nigerian Army, Sokoto, Maj.-Gen. Paul Koughna, has decried that the menace of informants is seriously hampering the ongoing fight against banditry and terrorism in Sokoto State, the North-West and Nigeria in general.

The GOC spoke on Saturday in Sokoto at a one-day Brainstorming Session on Coping with Banditry in Sokoto State, organized by the Sokoto Advancement Forum (SAF), in collaboration with the Centre for Peace Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

Gen. Koughna, who was represented by the Garrison Commander, 8 Division Garrison, Brig.-Gen. I. O. Amah, said the activities of informants who provide intelligence to bandits and terrorists on troops movement and operations have remained a major challenge to counter-banditry operations.

The GOC also stressed the critical role of air power in defeating terrorism and banditry.

According to him, nothing demoralises terrorists and bandits more than sustained aerial surveillance and air interdiction, adding that aircraft maintenance and aerial surveillance remain key to defeating terrorist activity anywhere in the world.

He disclosed that during the period that air assets were stationed and responding promptly to distress calls in Sokoto State, the state enjoyed relative stability in terms of banditry and insurgency.

“If we continue to deploy air assets in this manner, I am sure we will achieve maximum results,” he said.

The GOC also identified enhanced operational mobility as another critical factor in the ongoing operations.

He commended the Sokoto State Government for recently committing 63 armoured Buffalo armoured plated vehicles to security agencies in the state.

He said the vehicles have significantly enhanced operations, enabling troops to access bandits’ camps that were hitherto difficult to penetrate.

“Imagine if you are in soft-skin vehicles, you can’t go and attack them because they will pierce the vehicles and kill our soldiers.

“But these armoured vehicles are plated. With such vehicles, we can go to their camps, keep firing and protect our soldiers.

” The only thing they can do is to shoot at the tyres. Even at that, we can escape with run-flat tyres. So these armoured vehicles have really enhanced our operation and we are doing well with them,” he explained.

He appealed to the Federal Government and other stakeholders to increase the number of such armoured vehicles to further boost the fight against terrorists and bandits, noting that the vehicles allow troops to close in on the criminals and force them to withdraw.

BGen. Koughna said in the last 19 months, Operation Fasan Yamma under the leadership of the Sector Commander, Sector 2 and the GOC 8 Division, has recorded significant operational achievements.

Also speaking, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, represented by the District Head of Gagi, Sarkin Yakin Gagi, Alhaji Sani Umar Jabbi, commended the presentations at the forum, noting that all the speakers did justice to the topics.

He described the traditional institution as the gatekeepers and custodians of the grassroots, stressing that any intervention at the community level must pass through the traditional institution.

The Sultan said the traditional institution requires more technical know-how on conflict mitigation and resolution in the 21st century, noting that its current understanding is minimal.

He called for more collaboration with the Centre for advancement and other fora to build the capacity of traditional rulers.

“We need more joint efforts with the Centre. We are appealing to the Sokoto State Government and organisers to brainstorm and establish more technical training for our traditional institution.

“The more we are enlightened, the more we are respected. We share with the people, we guide them on decision making, provided we are sufficiently informed and effectively mobilized, we can make a lot of contributions at the community level,” Abubakar said.

He said that insecurity had affected every segment of the society and advised government on the handling of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Abubakar said hosting IDPs in urban centres is not a permanent solution, warning that it could create other social problems.

The Sultan further advocated the development of community resilience by taking IDPs back to their communities through the establishment of mega communities.

According to him, small communities that were abandoned and destroyed as a result of banditry should be merged into mega communities where manpower and youth can be mobilised to resist attacks.

He also called for the establishment of mega schools and mega health facilities to address challenges and ensure permanent solutions, rather than concentrating displaced persons in urban slums.

Abubakar stressed the need to enhance the capacity of traditional institutions to champion dialogue and apply both kinetic and non-kinetic solutions, including engaging critical stakeholders such as religious leaders.

He assured that the Sultanate Council will continue to bridge the gap between government and communities to achieve lasting peace.

The Sultan commended the foresight and initiative of the Centre for the Advancement of Sokoto under the leadership of Professor Isko and other stakeholders working together to provide solutions for the state.

“Sokoto is our state. We have no other state than Sokoto. So coming together with different technocrats and Sokoto indigenes to look at the future of Sokoto, I believe it is timely,” the Sultan added.