The Coalition of Northern Patriots (CNP) has hailed the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. T.Y Buratai for the success of the Nigerian Army’s Operation Sahel Sanity.
In a New Year message signed by its President, Nuruddeen Dodo, on Friday, the coalition said the COAS and his troops’ commitment to restoring peace have drastically reduced crime and criminalities in the North-West.
First launched in July last year in Faskari, Katsina State, Lt. Gen. Buratai vowed that the military exercise would comprehensively tackle banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling in the region.
In September, the operation was extended to the North-Central region to ensure peace in all parts of the country.
And according to the coalition, the exercise has so far yielded positive fruits, bringing about the much-needed peace and tranquillity in the region by engaging criminal elements in ways too numerous to mention.
After considering the feat recorded, the group expressed confidence that the other regions will soon experience the same.
The CNP, however, called on all well-meaning Nigerians to extend support to the Nigerian Army’s operations in its bid to make Nigeria safe and secure for all.
Read the full statement below:
The Coalition of Northern Patriots wishes to commend Operation Sahel Sanity’s efforts in curtailing the excesses of armed bandits in North West Nigeria that has resulted in a drastic reduction of crime and criminalities in the North West region.
We wish to reiterate that since the launch of Operation Sahel Sanity by the Nigerian Army to combat armed attacks, cattle rustling, kidnapping and other criminal activities in North-West Nigeria, it has been a success story.
This feat was achieved through the troops’ commitment under Operation Sahel Sanity in ensuring that criminal elements operating in the region are neutralized and kept at bay.
We wish to state that in the North West today, incidences of Armed Banditry has been reduced to the barest minimum due to the presence of Operation Sahel Sanity in addressing the security challenges in the region.
The Coalition of Northern Patriots having reviewed the security situation in North-West Nigeria wishes to emphasize that Operation Sahel Sanity has brought the needed peace and tranquillity in the region by engaging criminal elements in ways too numerous to mention.
We are consequently applauding the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai that has been tireless in rendering service to the country despite the avalanche of conspiracies against the peace and progress of the country.
That Operation Sahel Sanity has recorded tremendous success in North West Nigeria indicates the laudable efforts of the Nigerian Army in internal security operations in Nigeria. This much has been the hallmark of the Nigerian Army’s involvement in internal security operations in Nigeria.
Thus, it is our considered opinion that indeed the Nigerian Army under the watch of Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has contributed immensely to addressing the threats posed by criminal elements across the country.
The Nigerian Army has also stoutly risen in defence of our nascent democracy in the prosecution of the war against insurgency in North-East Nigeria and addressing the threats posed by militants and criminal gangs across the country.
The relative peace and tranquillity experienced in North-West Nigeria indeed buttresses this point and indicates that Nigeria shall overcome its security challenges with the right support.
The Coalition of Northern Patriots states in unequivocal terms that Operation Sahel Sanity is a huge success. It has contributed immensely in reducing the activities of armed bandits in the region.
We also wish to commend other security agencies that have an equally displayed outstanding commitment towards curtailing incidences of Armed Banditry in North-West Nigeria. Our considered opinion is that they are deserving of our commendation and support in the onerous task at hand.
The exigencies of time indeed require all hands to be on deck and support the laudable initiatives of the Nigerian Army in addressing the security challenges in the country. The case of Operation Sahel Sanity is just a tip of the iceberg given the Nigerian Army’s commitment to preserving and protecting Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
The Coalition of Northern Patriots herby sends a clarion call to all well-meaning Nigerians to extend support to the Nigerian Army’s operations in its bid to make Nigeria safe and secure for all.
The Operation Sahel Sanity example in North West Nigeria should indeed give insights into the fact that with the right motivation, the country’s security challenges can be addressed.