The new Commander of the Nigerian Army 34 Artillery Brigade, Imo State, Brigadier General Usman Lawal, shortly after taking over at the Brigade Command headquarters in Obinze, vowed to go after the bandits who have been disturbing the peace of the state and smoke them out of their hideouts.

According to him, this is to ensure the activities of the perpetrators are brought to the barest minimum, so Imo residents can go about their legitimate business peacefully.

In recent times, Imo State, just like other South-East states, has dealt with security challenges occasioned by the activities of gunmen and non-state actors.

The Nigerian Army 34 Artillery Brigade, in collaboration with other security agencies in the state, has been at the forefront of combating insecurity in the state.

After 16 months in charge, Brigadier General Sani Suleiman passed the baton to Brigadier General Lawal as the new Brigade Commander, 34 Artillery Brigade in the state.

The former brigade commander said the Nigerian Army had done much in the last few months to curtail the activities of the bandits, adding that they were not relenting in the fight against the bandits.

Brigadier General Usman Lawal vowed to go after the criminals in line with the directives of the hierarchy of the Nigerian Army.

The new brigade commander met with men and officers of the command and was taken around on a familiarisation tour.

With the residents hanging on the assurances of the Army, Lawal said he is ready to tackle the security challenges in the state so the people can enjoy a peaceful atmosphere and go about their lawful activities without any fear or intimidation.