Special Adviser to the Executive Governor of Plateau State on Security and Homeland Safety who also doubles as the Coordinator of the State-owned Security Outfit Operation Rainbow, Brigadier General Gakji Goshwe Shipi (Rtd) has on Monday 22nd April, 2024 disclosed that Bandits who have been terrorising Wase Local Government Area, Plateau State and its environs have laid down their arms comprising of Seven (7) AK-47 Guns.
He made this known while interacting with Journalists at the Headquarters of Operation Safe Haven on efforts being put in place by the government of the State, Local Government Chairmen, security agencies and other well-meaning Nigerians to achieve greater peace in the State.
According to him both kinetic and non-kinetic operations have been ongoing in Wase LGA which according to him have started yielding positive dividends.
He hinted that the kinetic component of the operation led to many bandits being neutralized, with some surrending their weapons and others fleeing.
He said huge successes have been recorded in Wase Local Government Area and the government is not resting on its oars towards extending same operations in other parts of the State in order to achieve the restoration of peace.
“Wase local government has been plagued for some time with issues of armed banditry, cross boundary attacks and some very ferocious crimes that have been going on there, so the government, together with security agencies on the plateau, have doubled up efforts to bring these challenges to the barest minimum. Kinetic operations were being undertaken.
“And a lot of these bandits have been chased out from within the boundaries of the State, and in the process, some were even eliminated in the course of fire exchange between security agencies, the vigilantes and our hunters who have played a very key role and we have gotten some great successes”
He said the government is not foreclosing positive engagements that would give rise to peace.
“And as a result, some of the criminals and bandits have decided that they’ve had enough of what’s happening and they are ready to surrender. And we started negotiations with them and it has started to yield dividends”
He lauded the joint efforts put in place by the Transition Implementation Committee Chairman of Wase local government area, the Vigilante, Department of State Services, Army, Police, other security agencies, Hunters, Babangida and Group for making sure the success recorded were enormous.
count | 275
