President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday dispatched a high-level delegation, made up of the heads of the nation’s intelligence and security services, to Sokoto and Katsina states in response to the escalation of security situations in both states.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu made this known in a statement titled ‘President Buhari Sends Security, Intelligence Heads To Sokoto, Katsina.’
According to Shehu, President Buhari is expecting a situation report and recommendations from the team.
“President Muhammadu Buhari Friday dispatched a high-level delegation, made up of the heads of the nation’s intelligence and security services to Sokoto and Katsina States in response to the recent spike in bandit activities,” the statement reads.
“The president is expecting an immediate situation report and recommendations on actions to follow to effectively deal with the worrying situation.
“This is coming barely 24 after the president inaugurated sophisticated Navy Ships, Patrol Boats, and a helicopter at the Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island in Lagos to boost security at the maritime borders.”
The delegation which is led by the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Munguno (Rtd) is made up of the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba; the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Magaji Bichi; the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Samuel Adebayo.
Buhari had on Thursday evening ordered a manhunt of those behind the gruesome murder of the Katsina State Commissioner of Science and Technology, Dr Rabe Nasir.
The commissioner was killed on Wednesday in his house located at Fatima Shema Quarters, Katsina.
This followed an attack by bandits on travellers from Sokoto to Kaduna State which saw the death of 23 persons burnt alive.
The Northwest has of lately become the hub of the activities of bandits, leading to indiscriminate killings and the kidnap for ransom phenomenon. The governments of Zamfara, Katsina and even Kaduna States recently shutdown their telecommunications networks to disrupt the activities of the groups in the support of the offensive by the Nigerian security forces.