TheCable

Umaru Al-Makura, governor of Nasarawa state, has alleged that “criminal elements” dislodged by recent military operation in Zamfara have infiltrated his state.

Al-Makura raised the alarm when Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, visited him in Lafia, Nasarawa capital.

He said three hideouts of the criminals have been identified in the state and appealed to Buratai to also extend the military operation in Zamfara to his state.

“Since the military operation in Zamfara that dispersed the criminal elements, we have noticed a gradual sipping of some of them into our vicinity and we have been able to identify about three areas as their hideout,” he said.

“Once we finalise our survey, we shall liaise with you to use your usual formula to defeat the miscreants.”

He commended the military for decimating the Boko Haram insurgents, and in joining hands with other security agencies to curb security challenges in Nasarawa state.

Al-Makura pledged to support military authority to ensure successful take off of the Command Science Secondary School located in the state.

The governor also appreciated the support of Buratai in decongesting the Abuja-Keffi highway.

He disclosed that the government had set up a task force to relocate all hawkers and petty traders operating along the road, to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

In his response, Buratai said the military was poised to rid the country of all criminal elements wherever they are hiding.

“We have more military exercises to carry out and wherever the criminals elements dispersed by our operations migrated to, we shall follow them and clear their doubts,” Buratai said.

He assured people of the state that the military would continue to monitor and collaborate with other security agencies to address any act of criminality.