The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, during visit to Katsina on Wednesday has boosted troops morale by giving them a direct order to eliminate bandits and other criminal elements operating and terrorising communities in the state.
The COAS was received by the 17 Brigade Commander, Brig. Gen. Babatunde Omopariola, at Natsinta Barracks, Katsina on Wednesday.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the closed-door meeting with the officers at the 17 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Natsinta Barracks, Katsina, the COAS said he was in the state to assess the brigade’s assigned duties, especially in the fight against bandits.
He explained, “I’m on the operational visit to Katsina State 17 Brigade and the essence is for me to appraise the operational activities of the 17 Brigade, look at their challenges and see how fast I can address them so that they can do the job we have assigned them to do very well.
“You will agree with me that the Brigade has been doing well. I have come to urge them and charge them to do more so that we can eliminate all these bandits from the state and for us to have a safer state to live in.
“We have recorded a number of successes and that is why I’m here to charge them to do more because the essence is to eliminate the bandits totally from the state.
“My simple message to my soldiers is for them to take this as a very simple responsibility that lies within our core responsibility as soldiers to defend Nigeria and within that ambit it is important for us to eliminate all the bandits within this area so that Nigerians can have a place to live in, so that government can have a space to development and Nigerians will be happy for it.”