Buhari: How Can I Be Indifferent to Senseless Killings and Kidnapping of Nigerians by Bandits?

President Muhammadu Buhari has rejected suggestions that his administration was indifferent to the killings and kidnappings carried out by bandits in Zamfara State and other parts of the country, insisting that protecting Nigerians remained one of his highest responsibilities.

Buhari, in a statement issued on Sunday through his Twitter account, also appealed to Nigerians not to politicise the security crisis in Zamfara.

The President described as unfair claims that he was unconcerned about the situation, saying security challenges across the country continued to receive his close attention.

“It is ridiculous and unfair to suggest that I am not concerned about the situation in Zamfara, or doing anything about it,” Buhari said.

He maintained that the protection of Nigerians was one of the primary responsibilities of his government and said few issues occupied his attention as much as the country’s security challenges.

Buhari said his administration was determined to confront the armed groups responsible for killings, kidnappings and other violent crimes until they were defeated.

According to him, security personnel had been deployed to communities affected by attacks, while the government continued to review and strengthen its security strategy.

The President said he remained in regular contact with the nation’s security chiefs and received frequent briefings on developments in Zamfara and other troubled parts of the country.

He also promised that the Federal Government would continue providing security agencies with the equipment and support necessary to respond effectively to emerging threats.

Buhari cited Operation Sharan Daji and the newly launched Operation Puff Adder as part of the measures being taken to tackle banditry, kidnapping and other forms of violent crime.

He said the operations covered Zamfara, Kaduna, including the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, Katsina, Kogi and Niger states.

According to the President, the operations involved cooperation among several security agencies, including the military, police and Department of State Services.

Buhari appealed to Nigerians to avoid turning the violence in Zamfara into a political issue, stressing that the human suffering caused by the attacks should be the major concern.

“How can I be indifferent to the senseless killings and kidnapping of my fellow citizens by bandits, and the deep trauma and impoverishment that these attacks inflict on them?” he asked.

The President expressed condolences to victims of the attacks and their families, saying his government understood the pain and hardship caused by the violence.

He reiterated that his administration’s immediate priority was to ensure that the bandits and other criminal groups responsible for the attacks were brought under control.

Buhari assured Nigerians that the government would continue its security operations and intensify efforts to protect communities affected by banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.