The Nigerian Army under ‘’Operation Sahel Sanity ‘, at the weekend announced the recovery of 300 rustled cows, killed 12 bandits, and arrested 8 suspected bandits and their collaborators
The troops also recovered 11 AK-47 Rifles and 3 Dane guns, plus 11 illegal miners who were also arrested.
The Acting Director, Defense media Operations, Brigadier General Bernard Onyeuko, told newsmen during routine updates for the month of November, at the Army Super camp 4 in Faskari, Katsina State, that four additional suspected armed robbers and three cattle rustlers were also nabbed by troops while 300 cows were recovered during the operations.
He said’ ’As you are aware during this period, troops have intensified their offensives such as clearance operations, fighting patrols, ambushes, raid operations and other military measures to crackdown on the activities of these criminals.
‘’These ongoing operations, without doubt have led to the achievement of tremendous successes such as neutralization of bandits, recovery of arms, destruction of bandit’s camps, rescue of kidnapped victims, arrest of suspected bandits and their collaborators.”
He equally disclosed that troops acting on credible Information arrested 3 suspected bandits’ collaborators named Abdulmumini Maidoka, Lawal Abdullahi and Sanusi Abdullahi at Majafa village in Kankara LGA of Katsina State adding that they were apprehended in connection with alleged involvement in banditry activities in the general area.
He said ’’Additionally, troops during a raid operation at an identified bandits associates’ hideout at Maikano village in Jibia LGA of Katsina State arrested 2 suspects named Lawal Danladi and Rane Bello.”
The Troops were said to have also raided an illegal mining site at Kadauri area in Maru LGA of Zamfara State and arrested 11 suspected illegal miners.
The troops while on routine border patrol intercepted and apprehended 4 suspected armed robbers dressed in military camouflage inside a Honda vehicle at Macrine village in Yelwa LGA of Kebbi State.
The suspects were arrested and handed over to the police.
The Army appealed to the people of the North West Zone solicits for timely information that will assist the troops in their operations while assuring that they remained resolute in bringing an end to banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and other sundry crimes in the region.
Katsina to shore up investment climate, hosts summit in 2021
From Augustine Okezie, Katsina
The katsina State Government have declared its determination to shore up her investment climate in the state and have therefore designated 2021 for the take off of its aggressive investment promotion campaigns, aimed at boosting the economic and social development of the state as well promote wealth and employment creation.
The Director General, katsina State Investment Promotion Agency, KIPA, Alhaji Ibrahim Tukur Jikamshi who dropped the hint while briefing newsmen on the activities of the agency at Government House, in Katsina, said the renewed drive on investment promotion is entirely a departure from past efforts which hitherto had not yielded the desired results
He further disclosed that the nearing completion of the state’s Economic Green Zone, which is the flagship of the proposed economic investment drive, is expected to lift the state’s projections into a veritable investment climate as well as attract potential investors
He said ”with the expected injection of the requisite investment enablers like: providing conducive investment climate and environment, guaranteeing availability of trained technical personnel, provision of startup incentives to companies and ensuring adequate planning assistance, the stage is set for a better social and economic activity come 2021.
“800 hectares of land had been earmarked for the project; also government has decided to develop 100 hectares under its first phase to provide the basic Infrastructures for the project.
“Realizing the fact that government alone cannot provide the needed welfare for its citizens and recognizing the role of the private sector in stimulating economic growth especially employment generation, the state government has signed an MOU with Skipper Infra JLT.”
He further called on the social media to be modest and shun sensationalism in reporting happenings in the state so as not to scare away potential investors.
He said ’’pictures and scary photographs of killings, can discourage investors from coming to the state.”
He also outlined other future investment outlooks in the state to include: Implementation of Katsina Textile Project in Funtua, convening investment forum, engagement of Dangote industries, and the completion of MSME survival fund projects in the state.