Smoke out the insurgents, ACF urges military

By The Citizen

Worried over the perennial bombings and killings by Boko Haram in the North-East, Arewa Consulta­tive Forum (ACF) has tasked the military and other security agencies to smoke them out.

'ACF therefore, calls on the security agencies to em­ploy new strategy and intel­ligence gathering and smoke out these terrorists from their enclaves and hideouts'.

In a statement issued yes­terday by the National Pub­licity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, noted that 'the JTF should deploy more troops in the affected states to not only repel terrorists' attacks but go after them. With the adequate supply of equipment and other logistic support to the military, Nigerians expect to see more offensive against the terrorists.

'ACF equally urges the communities to cooperate with the security agencies in the area of intelligence gath­ering.

'ACF extends its condo­lences to the families of the innocent souls killed in the dastardly acts of the terrorists and the people and govern­ments of the affected states.

'The effort of President Buhari therefore needs to be translated into action by our frontline soldiers and other security agencies to put an end to this daily colossal loss of innocent lives.

'The recent collaborative effort of the states of Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, So­koto and Zamfara to form a joint security task force to combat the insecurity that has bedeviled the zone should ur­gently be addressed to check the frequent attacks and kill­ing of innocent people in their sleep,' the ACF said.