President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the establishment of a new battalion of the Nigerian Army and a new Police Area Command in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
This was revealed in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, on Monday in Abuja.
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According to the statement, the approval comes as part of measures by the Federal Government to scale up the security response to the banditry affecting the area.
No fewer than 27 people were reported killed and several others injured on Sunday when armed bandits attacked Gwaska village in Birnin Gwari LGA.
The President, however, condemned the attack in strong terms, describing it as a massacre of innocent Nigerians in the area.
“I am deeply outraged by this unwarranted, unprovoked and reckless destruction of lives by bandits who belong to the lowest level of civilization.
“I feel the pains and devastation of the families of the victims, and this administration will do everything possible to ensure we defeat these enemies of humanity,” he said.
President Buhari further extended his condolences to the families of the victims, the government and the people of Kaduna State over the unfortunate tragedy.
He also assured them that his administration would never abandon them to their fate.
The new Army battalion and the Police Area Command are the latest in a series of law enforcement measures to ensure an enhanced protection of lives and property, in and around Benue, Kaduna, Taraba, Zamfara and Nasarawa states.
Last week, the Nigerian Air Force took delivery of two new helicopter gunships, for deployment to parts of the country affected by banditry.
A Quick Response Wing has also been established by the Nigerian Air Force in Taraba State, while a Joint Military Intervention Force is fully on ground in Benue.
To this end, President Buhari assured residents of the affected states that security remains a priority for his government.
He vowed that his administration would not tolerate the repeated killings of innocent people, an act he said was aimed at setting Nigerians against one another.
“These persistent killings are not spontaneous; there are subterranean forces with a sinister agenda to instigate a war in the country for selfish purposes.”
“Although unconventional war is particularly complicated, our security forces are making rigorous efforts to better understand these enemies with a view to decisively checkmating their evil attacks,” the President added.
