Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, Commander Operation SAFE HAVEN (OPSH) and General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division Nigerian Army met with people of Southern Kaduna as part of his communal engagements to get stakeholders on board with the mission of ridding Plateau and southern Kaduna of miscreants.
The Commander also committed to take serious action against criminals who carry out attacks that cause loss of life and property in the neighborhood.
Gen. Abdulsalam stressed the need for an immediate end to the repeated isolated killings, farm destruction, cow poisoning, cattle rustling, kidnappings, and other various criminal acts during a meeting with key stakeholders from the five local government areas of Kaduna State covered by OPSH. He issued a warning to individuals who create unrest for their own personal advantage, advising them to adopt peaceful ways to live or face the repercussions of their sinister intent. He said that several strategies are being thought of to make sure the area remains uninhabitable for criminals.
The Commander solicited replies from local traditional, religious, and community leaders while simultaneously issuing warnings to the populace about the dangers of hiding criminals from security forces.
He also criticized the role that drug abuse among young people plays in the region’s crimes and urged the populace to really pursue a path of peace.
“I urge you all to take this message to the most remote communities, warn your subjects and take the lead in the speedy settlement of disputes in your domain,” he said.
The Commander assured His Royal Majesty of his commitment to using both kinetic and non-kinetic lines of operations to find long-term solutions to the senseless killings and destruction of property in the area during an earlier homage to the Paramount Ruler of the Atyap Chiefdom, His Royal Highness Agwatyap Dominic Gambo.
The Commander said that additional troops have been sent to Southern Kaduna over the past 48 hours, which has increased how quickly people respond to emergency calls.
In addition, he reaffirmed his dedication to justice and fairness by promising to prosecute criminal offenses without regard to a victim’s race or religion.
Representatives from the Atyap, Fulani, Hausa, Ikuru, and Christian Association of Nigeria, as well as Jamatul Nasir Islam, traditional and religious leaders, spoke at the gathering.
The speakers expressed their concerns and promised to assist OPSH’s plans to stop local assaults on people and communities by catching the bad actors and turning them over to the security forces.
All parties involved were instructed to seize these illegal weapons and immediately turn them over to the police when it was determined that the spread of small arms and light weapons was a contributing factor to the crisis in the region.
