Borno, Katsina Killings: Criminals Taking Advantage Of COVID-19 Restrictions – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the recent attacks that left several dead in Borno and Katsina States.

In his Democracy Day broadcast to the nation, the President believes the killings were sparked by the restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the states.

He, however, gave an assurance that the security agencies have swung into action with a view to bringing the assailants to justice.

The President said, “I regret recent sporadic incidents with the tragic loss of lives in Katsina and Borno States as a result of criminals taking advantage of COVID-19 restrictions.

“Security Agencies will pursue the perpetrators and bring them to swift justice.”

“I must implore state and local governments to revamp their intelligence assets so that the Security Agencies can nip in the bud any planned attacks in remote rural areas. I send my heartfelt condolences to all the relatives and communities affected,” he added.

According to the President, the present administration remains unshaken in its resolve to protect the nation’s infrastructure, including on-shore and off-shore oil installations, as well as secure its territorial waters and end piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

To ending insurgency, he explained that banditry and other forms of criminality across the nation were being accorded appropriate priorities, saying the military has considerably downgraded such threats across all geo-political zones.

President Buhari said all the local governments that were taken over by the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States have long been recovered.

He noted that indigenes of such areas, who were previously forced to seek a living in areas far from their ancestral homes, have since returned home.

“The total collapse of the economies of these areas, which constituted a threat to our food security, has also been reversed with the gradual recovery of farming and other economic activities,” the President stated.

He added, “As part of the strengthening of our internal security architecture, the Ministry of Police Affairs was created.

“Amongst others, Government has expanded the National Command and Control Centre to 19 states of the Federation, resuscitated the National Public Security Communication System, and commenced the implementation of the Community Policing Strategy.”