The Sokoto State Government has distributed 62 armoured security vehicles and other security equipment to strengthen security operations across the state at a cost of over ₦27 billion.
The vehicles, which include Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and hundreds of motorcycles, will be deployed to various security agencies to enhance mobility and improve rapid response to security threats.
Governor Ahmad Aliyu disclosed this during the unveiling of the vehicles under the state’s Operation Fight Terrorism initiative.
The governor said his administration remains committed to strengthening security and improving the welfare of security personnel operating in the state.
He noted that the state government had established the Community Security Guards Corps and equipped it with 40 security vehicles to complement the efforts of conventional security agencies.
Governor Aliyu also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his continued support to security agencies in the fight against banditry across the North-West.
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He further revealed that the state government had established a Mobile Police Barracks in Tarah Village, Sabon Birni Local Government Area, to address persistent insecurity in the eastern part of the state.
According to him, the government has also constructed five housing units each for the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Air Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to improve the welfare of security personnel.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), described mobility as one of the major challenges confronting security forces in the fight against banditry, noting that criminal groups often operate in difficult terrain.
He said the deployment of the new vehicles would significantly enhance the operational capacity of security agencies and enable them to respond more effectively to security threats.
General Musa urged personnel assigned to the vehicles to remain proactive and take decisive action against bandits whenever they encounter them during operations.
He added that lasting success in tackling insecurity can only be achieved through sustained collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments, security agencies, and local communities.
The vehicles will be distributed to the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, as well as security personnel providing protection for the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway project.