.
“The herdsman and his opposite number, the local volunteer (yan sa kai)
have transmogrified into rural bandits and kidnappers terrorizing the north-western
and north-central zones of the country.
.
“They operate as roving and marauding gangs, using scorched earth
tactics, pillaging ungoverned rural spaces from sanctuaries hills and
forests in the country side.
.
“They raid and burn settlements stealing good and livestock, killing and
kidnapping hopeless defenseless rural dwellers for ransom, raping and enslaving
the women folk in the process,” the Committee said.
.
It said that banditry must be confronted immediately with all the force
available to the State, in well-planned and coordinated land and air
operations.
.
The Committee said: “They (bandits) must be denied sanctuary through the
effective occupation of all forest and hilly terrains which should be converted
into training grounds and fortifications for the military, police and other
paramilitary forces.
.
“Above all, there is need for the Federal Government to assist States
and Local Governments to re-establish State Authority in many of the affected
rural communities, through;
.
“Appointing and supporting Local/Traditional Authorities in Local
Communities by re-building residences, school, clinics, roads, Police stations
and barracks, etc, that where destroyed by bandits.
.
“Funding of Local Authorities to mobilize and fund youths who shall
eventually be enrolled into the Local Community Police structure.
.
The Committee noted that insurgency and countering it both rely on the
element of intelligence gathering to shape dynamic strategy band the element of
surprise.
.
It however lamented that, “On both counts, the armed forces with all the
resources at their disposal appear to have conceded the upper hand.
.
“Amassing more weapons of mass destruction may not be the solution
especially given the assertion that over 60% of the weaponry and mobility
resource of the enemy was seized from our forces.
.
“What is required is the technological edge which sadly again the
insurgents seem to have seized using improvisation of off the shelf technology.
.
“The army as a matter of urgency must acquire sophisticated UAVs
(Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) comprising conventional drones and fixed wing
long endurance which the insurgents are yet to get.
.
“This will provide instant intelligence and surveillance for attack and
ambush strategy while the fixed wing high altitude can provide sustained
pervasive and dedicated surveillance lasting 24 hours or more, so they can
report location and enemy strength and provide intelligence and guidance
throughout the planning and execution stage from an undetectable altitude.
.
“With the insurgents using cheap commercial drones to survey our troop
positions for attack planning it’s only a matter of time before they use their
ISIS connections to weaponise them with explosive payloads similar to what ISIS
is using with devastating efficiency in Syria, Iraq and Kurdistan.
.
“It is therefore imperative that the Army be equipped with drone
detection and incapacitating technology in the form of anti-drone systems which
can jam radio frequencies used to control drones, causing them to fall out of the
sky uncontrollably or even utilise laser beams to burn aerial drones causing
internal systemic failure.
.
“Fixed systems covering large areas can be used to protect barracks,
super camps, stadia, VIP venues etc, while vehicle mounted mobile systems can accompany
troops provided adhoc protection.
.
“There are also portable units in the form of ajammer rifle that can
incapacitate drones from long distance for on the move protection.
.
“As a matter of necessity the Air-force must assert itself superiority
in the skies by embarking on constant and debilitating air raids on insurgent
and bandit camps and supply channels to ensure near complete annihilation of
men and resources and wipe out their capacity to regroup or coordinate their
cells for combined aggression.
.
“The same aircraft can be used to provide close air support for ground
troops and deployed for Intelligence gathering, search and reconnaissance.
.
“We must find a vacuum filling alternative for the super Tucano order
for immediate deployment as it is apparent that the unending delays and the new
delivery date of 2022 for the US order may simply be another ploy.
.
“There are alternative high endurance turboprops within the eastern bloc
that can fill in the gap.”
.
The Committee noted that the general recommendations it gave were
far-reaching and long term and will obviously follow an implementation timeline
if accepted.
.
It however insisted that to achieve an incisive, immediate turnaround in
the security situation and to provide much needed succor and relief to anxious
Nigerians, some drastic and visibly effective military programs and exercises
need to be executed to deal with the twin evils of kidnapping and banditry.
.
The Committee added: “The Insurgency in the North East is a national
threat, and globally counter insurgency is a slow and tedious assignment
spanning decades.
.
“However the rampant and expanding spectre of kidnapping and banditry is
now overshadowing the BH threat in scale and brazenness as it is now endemic in
at least three regions and 19 States.
.
“Worse still, it has been allowed to fester to a level where the Police
who should have ordinarily handled the situation are once again being
supplanted by the military, allow an internal security situation to further
deplete our forces at the frontline.
.
“We are therefore calling for a massive and sustained combined operation
to identify, destroy and annihilate the camps and hideouts of the bandits and
kidnappers wherever they may be situated with no letup whatsoever.
.
“This combined operation will involve all our security and intelligence
resources because it will have to be holistically planned and simultaneously
executed so we don’t repeat the-mistake of dislodging them in one forest so
they can relocate and re-establish in another.
.
“The operation should make use of land and aerial attack utilizing
intelligence gathering and reconnaissance technology, and all rehabilitated
forests should be occupied and subjected to sustain monitoring using the
National Park Service and other relevant agencies to make re-occupation
impossible.
.
“We should make effective use of community intelligence and cooperation
to fish out embedded culprits operating in their midst and bring them to book.
.
“The Operation should be visible and conspicuous to ensure that a strong
message be sent out to the effect that whoever engages in banditry and
kidnapping will pay a very heavy price, since it is obvious that what is
fueling the problem is the apparent impression of a lack of clear and present
retribution.
.
“Stories of millions being paid in ransom have emboldened copycat
instant criminals who believe the gains far outweigh the risks, and this
mindset must be erased.”
.
.
Sumber:
The Nation- 18 March 2020
.
IKUTI KAMI 👇
.
“ BERSATU MENENTANG KEGANASAN! ”
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