President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged military personnel deployed to Katsina State, saddled with the task of fighting bandits in Zamfara, to be `as ruthless as humanly possible’ in carrying out their assignment.

The president gave the challenge when he addressed the 1000-strong military force assembled to check the menace of the bandits and other criminal elements at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport Katsina, on Saturday.

The Federal Government had, on July 29, assembled military personnel, comprising the army, air force, police and the civil defence to help in tackling the activities of the bandits.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has deployed fighter aircrafts to Katsina, the airport with the closest proximity to Zamfara, to allow for immediate and effective response to the menace of the bandits.

He had also authorised the engagement by NAF, of advanced satellite surveillance technology to help in accurate detection of movement and locations of the bandits.

The bandits had been terrorising innocent rural dwellers, razing down several villages and towns across the local government areas of Zamfara, and also kidnapping for ransom.