The Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Mutawalle, has called for unwavering support from the media and broader society as the military launches Operation “Fansan Yamma” to eradicate banditry in the North West.
During his second visit to Sokoto State, as directed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following a surge in bandit attacks, Mutawalle stressed that the fight was not just the responsibility of the government or security agencies but all Nigerians who desire peace and stability in the country.
He highlighted the critical role of the media in combating the propaganda that bandits spread on social media, urging journalists to continue reporting the military’s successes in the fight against banditry and insurgency.
He emphasised that his visit to Sokoto was aimed at reassessing the progress made and refining strategies, assuring that bandits would no longer find safe havens anywhere in the country.
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Operation “Fansan Yamma,” which translates to “Salvage the West,” mirrors the military operations that successfully curbed Boko Haram in the North East.
Similarly, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has launched “Operation Whirlwind” to curb fuel smuggling.
The initiative, carried out in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser, aims to crack down on smugglers and protect Nigeria’s economic interests.
NCS Comptroller-General, Adewale Adeniyi, labelled smugglers as adversaries to the nation’s progress and vowed to put an end to their activities.
Adeniyi’s deputy, Olaniyi Olajogun, said as part of the crackdown, two filling stations in Adamawa were fined by a court for their involvement in smuggling Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and the seized petrol was auctioned to the public at N630 per litre.
