By ISMAILA CHAFE

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a joint military and police operation specifically targeted at combing Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto states to rid the areas of bandits.

The president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

The president reassured Nigerians that the nation’s armed forces are fully capable of dealing with the challenges of banditry and terrorism.

He assured that surveillance would be improved, with more night vision aircrafts already deployed under “Operation Accord’’.

The operation was launched three weeks ago.

He, therefore, called for more patience as “the military takes appropriate steps to block gaps being exploited to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens”.

“Nigeria’s military has displayed its capabilities in the past and will show it again by dealing with the current challenges,” the President added.

He appealed to the people of Katsina State to be patient and supportive of the ongoing military operations in the state, while sympathising with those who are bereaved, injured and lost properties.

President Buhari admonished that taking to the streets for protest could distract the military operations, urging “Katsina indigenes not to give up on the military who over the years have a strong track record of quelling crises once given enough time.”

“The major forests in North Western Nigeria have been identified as home to the bandits in the region. The operation will clear all these forests,” he further said. (NAN)