The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai, has ordered immediate deployment of soldiers to all communities that are being ravaged by killer herdsmen.
The order is in compliance with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive that the security agencies should track down the culprits.
Confirming this to The Nation, the Army Deputy Director of Public Relations, Col. Hamza Gambo, said that soldiers have been deployed in all the affected areas, adding that effort was being intensified to track down the errant herdsmen.
Gambo said: “Our men have been deployed to secure all the affected areas.
“They are combing up to Atani to ensure there is no hiding place for those people.
“The search is continuing up to Kogi State.”
Continuing, Gambo said the military was working in conjunction with both the Enugu State Government and other security agencies to halt the ugly incident.
He warned that the Nigerian Army would not tolerate any act of lawlessness at any level.”
President Buhari had on April 27 ordered the security chiefs to secure areas where the suspected killer herdsmen are operating.
He also directed the Chief of Defence Staff, Maj-Gen. Abayomi Olonishakin, and the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to go after the herdsmen who are terrorizing people in parts of the country.
The President in an address delivered by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, at the public presentation of a book authored by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, condemned the attacks in strong terms.
In the address, the President had said: “Let me use this platform to condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the attack perpetrated on the Ukpabu Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani area of Enugu State on Monday.
“I deeply sympathise with all those who lost dear ones as well as those who lost their properties in the attack.
“I have directed the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector-General of Police to secure all communities under attacks by herdsmen, and to go after all the groups terrorising innocent people all over the country.
“This government will not allow these attacks to continue. Ending the recent upsurge of attacks on communities by herdsmen reportedly armed with sophisticated weapons is now a priority on the Buhari administration’s agenda for enhanced national security and the Armed Forces and Police have clear instructions to take all necessary action to stop the carnage.”
