The Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, has commended the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, describing his support for military operations in the state as “uncommon”. Oluyede made the remark during an official visit to the state, where he met the governor at the Government House in Gusau as……
The Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, has commended the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, describing his support for military operations in the state as “uncommon”.
Oluyede made the remark during an official visit to the state, where he met the governor at the Government House in Gusau as well as troops at the Operation Fansan Yamma Theatre Command Headquarters.
He acknowledged the collaboration between the state government and the armed forces in tackling insecurity, noting that such partnership was critical to ongoing counterinsurgency efforts.
“I am here today to commend His Excellency the Governor for the operation Fansan Yamma, which is actually uncommon. I want to thank you particularly for that.
“I equally thank the people of Zamfara, who are quite accommodating. I always say that Nigeria belongs to us.
“We must come together collectively to face these challenges head-on. With people like Governor Lawal, we can address these challenges. I am here to visit you and to thank you for your support.
“I visited the Fansan Yamma Theatre Operations Headquarters, where I interacted with troops and highlighted challenges. Some issues were resolved, while others were noted for further action,” he said.
This was disclosed in a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, on Monday, April 20.
During the visit, the CDS also interacted with frontline troops, where operational concerns were reviewed and some issues reportedly addressed, while others were noted for further attention.
In his response, Governor Lawal reiterated his administration’s commitment to supporting security agencies, stressing that restoring peace in Zamfara would significantly reduce banditry across the country.
“As leaders, we must do everything we can to show that we are responsible leaders, so that people can live in peace.
“I don’t believe that these criminals are stronger than our troops; it is not possible. We only have challenges to address.
“That is why, as a leader, I always make sure I do my part to support the troops. Just last month, the Minister of Defence was here to commission the sophisticated operational vehicles my administration procured.
“Whatever we do, if there is no security, it is of no benefit to the people. As a government, we need the military’s cooperation to address this menace.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank Mr President for his continuous assistance to us, but we still need more.
“I thank you for your kind words. We are indeed doing a lot in terms of security, because that is our top priority as a government. I am ever ready to support the military and other security agencies,” he said.
