.says normalcy will return soon

Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Thursday said President Muhammadu Buhari had over the past week, given instructions for decisive measures aimed at bringing an end to the recurring violence in the Southern part of Kaduna State.

Shehu, in a statement made available to journalists, said on the directive of the President, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, was in the affected areas on Saturday and Sunday to assess the situation at first hand.

He said in addition to the conventional policemen deployed in the area, a squadron of mobile policemen has now been stationed there.

The presidential spokesman added that the Nigerian Army is also in the process of setting up two battalions in Southern Kaduna while the military continues to carry out air surveillance across flash points of the area.

He said, “President Buhari has equally directed the National Emergency Management Agency to carry out a joint assessment of the situation with the sister agency in Kaduna, SEMA, to determine the level of response required for urgent aid to the victims of the violence.

“These measures should soon ensure the return of normalcy to the region, while the Kaduna State government continues its peace building efforts.

“The President commended efforts of the State government and the security agencies in the steps taken so far to curtail the violence.

“President Buhari has, once again, sent condolences to the people of Southern Kaduna, who have lost loved ones in the recent violence.”

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