Bandits planning to cause war with killings – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said the recent killings across the country is targeted at instigating war.

However, as parts of measures to end killings, the president approved the establishment of a new Battalion of the Nigerian Army, as well as a new Police Area Command in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, as part of measures to scale up the security response to the banditry affecting the area.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists.

“These persistent killings are not spontaneous; there are subterranean forces with a sinister agenda to instigate war in the country for selfish purposes.

“Although unconventional war is particularly complicated, our security forces are making rigorous efforts to better understand these enemies with a view to decisively checkmate their evil attacks,” Shehu quoted the President as saying.

The presidential spokesman said Buhari strongly condemned the latest massacre of innocent Nigerians in the area.

He said his administration would do everything possible to ensure that those he described as “enemies of humanity” are defeated.

“I am deeply outraged by this unwarranted, unprovoked and reckless destruction of lives by bandits who belong to the lowest level of civilisation.

“I feel the pains and devastation of the families of the victims, and this administration will do everything possible to ensure we defeat these enemies of humanity,” the President was further quoted as saying.

Buhari assured Nigerians that security remains a priority for his government.

He said that his administration would not tolerate the persistent killing of innocent people in order to set Nigerians against one another.

The President extended his condolences to the families of the victims, the government and the people of Kaduna State over the tragedy.

He assured them that his government will never abandon them to their fate.

According to the statement, the new Army Battalion and the Police Area Command are the latest in a series of law enforcement measures to ensure more effective protection of lives and property, in and around Benue, Kaduna, Taraba, Zamfara and Nasarawa states.

It recalled that last week, the Nigerian Air Force took delivery of two new helicopter gunships for deployment to parts of the country affected by banditry.

It added that a Quick Response Wing has also been established by the Nigerian Air Force in Taraba State, while a Joint Military Intervention Force is fully on ground in Benue.