The new General Officer Commanding GOC, 8 Division, Nigerian Army, Sokoto, Major General Godwin Mutkut has commended Kebbi State Government for its untiring support to the army in their efforts to root out banditry and protect the country’s territorial integrity.
The new GOC 8 Division, Sokoto, Major General Godwin Mutkut made the commendation during a courtesy visit to the Governor in Birnin Kebbi this Tuesday.
The new GOC, who also doubles as the Northwest Commander Operation Hadarin Daji was in Kebbi State for a familiarisation tour to army formation under his command .
He said he was in Kebbi to see his soldiers, interact with them and encourage them to work hard to take Nigerian Army and Nigeria to greater heights.
Matkut urged the soldiers and officers of the command to be law-abiding and loyal to Federal Republic of Nigeria as well its constitution.
“I am here to see my soldiers, pay a familiarisation visit because since I took over I have not been here. I want to see the soldiers and they see my face for them to see whom they are going to be working for and with.
“I want them to know my philosophy on how we are going to counter the menace of bandits in this part of the country,” Matkut said.
He warned troops of the Nigerian Army to be non partisan in politics ahead of the general elections in the country
In his remarks, Kebbi State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu while welcoming the new GOC also appealed to the army to sustain their operations to root out bandits out of some villages in the Southern part of the state .
The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, retired Col. Sama’ila Yombe-Dabai, said: “I want to use this opportunity to quickly put forward our request about the security situation in the Northwest and Kebbi State in particular.
“Danko-Wasagu and Sakaba Local Governments have been long targeted areas, I am sure you must have been briefed by officers on ground and considering also in the next few weeks, we will be facing election exercise in that terrain .
“These are villages with large number of voters and if they are displaced we will be displaced too, I am sure with your presence we will have no problem.”
Bagudu appealed to the GOC to station standing patrol troops in strategic locations with a view to blocking routes being used by the bandits.
He observed that displaced persons were not comfortable to resettle back in their respective homes due to fear of attacks, hence the need for the military to extend its helping hands to restore confidence in the minds of people in the affected areas.
