As Nigerians continue to grapple with multi-faceted security crises in different parts of the country, the Buhari administration has released some measures being taken by the police and security forces to address the challenges.

Violent crimes, especially armed robbery, banditry and kidnapping, have taken a heavy toll on the country in recent weeks. Both the affluent and average citizens have been wantonly abducted for ransom in several states. Armed bandits have also held several states in the northwest to a standstill, and armed robbery remains prevalent.

President Muhammadu Buhari has been criticised for not handling the crises with the seriousness they deserve. The president said the challenges were numerous and difficult to combat and blamed some community leaders for being complicit in the chaos.

He, however, promised to do his best to impose resolve the challenges.

In a statement on Sunday, presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina listed efforts currently underway to address the crises.

Read Mr Adesina’s full statement below:

These are no doubt times of great security challenges for our country, and the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government is not leaving any stone unturned to restore sanity and calm.

For the records, below are some of the security initiatives taken between January and now, for the safety and security of Nigerians:

Ø Operation Puff Adder (Nigerian Police), Operation HARBIN KUNAMA 3 (Nigerian Army) and Exercise Egwu Eke 3 (Nigerian Army) have all been launched in 2019, to complement the existing Operations Sharan Daji (launched in 2016 by the Nigerian Army) and Diran Mikiya (launched 2018 by the Nigerian Air Force). All of these operations are focused on tackling banditry and criminality in the North West of Nigeria.

Ø Operation HARBIN KUNAMA 3 was launched on 1 April 2019 to ensure the complete defeat of the bandits fleeing military operations in Zamfara and escaping into Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Niger and Sokoto States.

– Hundreds of kidnappers and bandits have been arrested or killed since January, several camps/hideouts destroyed; and hundreds of hostages rescued. In a two-week operation in February (lasting from Feb 4 to Feb 14), 80 hostages were freed by the Nigerian Army, with 37 bandits killed.

– Aerial bombardments of bandits’ camps have been intensified in recent months. A new Air Force Base – the 271 Nigerian Air Force Detachment (271 NAF Det) – was commissioned at Birinin Gwari in Kaduna State in May 2019, to complement the 207 Quick Response Group (QRG) established in Gusau, Zamfara State, in 2017.