Nigeria Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mansur Dan Ali, on Thursday advised that for the gains achieved by the military in the North East to be sustained, the federal government must immediately deploy men of the Nigeria Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to patrol places liberated by the military from the Boko Haram terrorists.
Alhaji Mansur Dan Ali who was briefing the National Security Council on the situation in the country added that such a strategy would enable the military focus more on its clearance operations of completely eliminating the terrorists.

In a statement signed by the minister’s Public Relation Officer, Colonel Tukur Gusau, he added that the minister revealed that to stop future security incidences in Zamfara, Sokoto and Birnin Gwari, the newly launched operation Sharan Daji has been extended to the fringes of the Niger border.
He noted that the operation has recently been reinforced with more troops from the Nigerian Armed Forces, Nigeria Police and Department of State Services and is being supported by the Intelligence, Surveillance and Recognisance Wing of 207 Quick Response Group of the Nigerian Air Force.

The statement reads in part, “the joint operation has successfully arrested some suspected armed bandits and recovered arms and ammunition. Similarly, in other to checkmate the criminal activities along Abuja-Kaduna highway, security agencies have been directed to increase patrols along the axis to address cases of attacks and kidnappings.”

Speaking on the security situation in the South-South, Mansur Dan Ali informed the council that Operation Delta Safe has sustained its operations against illegal activities in the Niger Delta region with resultant reduction in illegal oil bunkering, militancy and pipeline vandalism.

He said that in view of the engagement of troops in various internal security operations across the country, there was need to provide more equipment for the Armed Forces in order to sustain the tempo in the fight against insurgency and other security challenges across the country.
He congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his recent election as the new ECOWAS Chairman and reminded the council that the Armed Forces of Nigeria in collaboration with other security agencies are doing a lot to address the turbulent security situation in the country.