The army said it has dominated Falgore forest in Doguwa Local Government Area of Kano State, after flushing out armed bandits, cattle rustlers and other criminal elements from the forest.
Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Yusuf Buratai, made the disclosure on Saturday at Falgore at the end of exercise “Harbin Kunama” (Scorpion Sting).
Recall that the army launched the Special Exercise in 2016 in Kaduna and Zamfara states to deal with criminal activities.
On April 19, it launched Harbin Kunama II in Southern Kaduna and extended it to part of Plateau, Kano and Bauchi states.
The Army Chief noted that though the exercise had come to an end, troops would remain in the vast forest which stretches from Kano through Saminaka in Kaduna, up to Jos in the North-Central zone to secure it.
He said that while the exercise lasted, many bandits, cattle rustlers, kidnappers and armed robbers were arrested, and large quantity of arms and ammunition recovered.
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He said the various exercises conducted by the army across the country such as Crocodile Smile and Python Dance were aimed at ensuring security and safety.
Buratai then announced that the Falgore forest had been turned into a training ground for the army.
In his address, Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, who witnessed the end of the exercise, recalled that the bandits and rustlers found a safe haven in the forest from where they terrorized the people.
He expressed happiness that the army had been able to flush them out, thereby making it safe for the people to carry out their legitimate activities.
Ganduje disclosed that the state government would construct a dam in the forest to provide water for herdsmen to curtail their movements, thereby reducing incident of farmers/herdsmen clashes in the area.
The governor assured the army and security agencies of support not only to secure the forest but the entire state.
Chief Whip in the House of Representatives, Alhaji Alhassan Doguwa who was present at the occasion, also commended the army for clearing bandits from the area.
He assured that the house would continue to give the army support needed to enable it discharge its constitutional roles.
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