The Government has confirmed understanding the severity of the security challenges besetting Nigeria. Consequently, it pledged to end insecurity before the end of next year.

Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, gave assurance in an interview with BBC Hausa.

The former Zamfara State government said the current administration was adopting a proactive approach to combat bandits before they struck, particularly in the troubled North.

“God willing, from now till November 2024, all security challenges will be overcome,” Matawalle assured.

He said the measures and strategies being taken would end the menace, adding that the approaches included pre-empting the gunmen in their homes before they attack and crush them.

Since he lost his re-election bid at this year’s poll, Matawalle has fallen apart with his successor, Dr. Dauda Lawan Dare of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), over allegations of corruption and embezzlement of state funds.

The minister said despite the magnitude of the security challenges in the state, “the governor of the state has never contacted me and Badaru or asked to meet with us on the security of his state.”

He added that many governors, whose states are suffering from insecurity, were cooperating with the Federal Government to overcome it.

Similarly, Governor Hyacinth Alia, yesterday, appealed to the military high command that Benue State needs absolute peace, and not the relative calmness currently being witnessed.

Alia, who arrived at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja at about 1:19 pm yesterday, made the appeal in an interview with reporters shortly after a closed-door meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, in his office.

He explained that the state remains vulnerable because four Local  Councils share borders with Cameroon, hence, the reason for requesting the military to come to their aid.

The CDS had said efforts were ongoing to ensure that all internally displaced persons camps nationwide were closed, while the inmates are returned to their respective homes.
He said the state government requested the military to   establish Forward Operation Bases (FOB) in some strategic locations, where criminals had turned to their hideouts and some areas where solid minerals had been discovered.