President Bola Tinubu has directed his Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, along with the military chiefs, to relocate to Sokoto State.
This move is aimed at addressing the severe terrorism issues in Sokoto and the broader North-West region.
The North-West is currently Nigeria’s most terrorized area, with four of its seven states among the top five with the highest number of kidnappings from July 2023 to June 2024.
According to SBM Intelligence, Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna reported the highest incidents, with Sokoto ranking fifth behind Abuja.
The region has faced numerous attacks and mass abductions, with many local communities now under the control of armed terrorists who impose taxes on residents.
In a statement on Sunday, Henshaw Ogubike, Director of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Defence, announced that the federal government has instructed Matawalle and the military chiefs to move to Sokoto as part of a broader strategy to combat banditry and terrorism.
The effectiveness of this strategy remains uncertain. Former President Muhammadu Buhari had previously relocated military chiefs to Borno during the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency.
While this led to some successes on the battlefield, the insurgency persisted and spread to other northern states like Niger and Kogi.
Ogubike noted that the federal government is deeply concerned about the ongoing terrorist activities and emphasized that this strategic relocation highlights its commitment to restoring peace and security in the region.
Matawalle, according to Ogubike, will oversee operations in the North-West and focus on dismantling the notorious gang led by Bello Turji.
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