By Augustine Ehikioya
To check the series of banditry attacks in Southern Kaduna, troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN (OPSH) have trained and graduated 98 youths.
The youths, selected from all the communities and ethnic groups in Southern Kaduna, were trained on surveillance and information gathering.
This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Military Information Officer, OPSH, Major Ishaku Takwa and made available to Security Watch Africa (SWA).
It said “In a bid to curb the incessant banditry activities in southern kaduna, Operation SAFE HAVEN has today 19 January, 2022 graduated 98 youths trained on surveillance and information gathering.
“The graduation ceremony which took place at Headquarters Sector 7 Kafanchan saw youths selected from all the communities and ethnic groups in southern Kaduna passed out in a colourful graduation ceremony.”
Speaking to the graduands, the statement said the Commander, Operation SAFE HAVEN, Major General Ibrahim Ali charged the youths to distance themselves from sentiment and discharge their duty without fear or favour.
“He stressed that the essence of the training is to ensure that the communities are protected against enemies of peace.
“General Ali also warned the youths not to allow themselves to be used as political thugs by some persons to achieve their selfish goals,” it said.
Earlier, the Commander Sector 7, Operation SAFE HAVEN, Colonel Timothy Opurum, according to the statement, noted that the training of the youths was necessary considering the importance of peace to development.
“He revealed that the team of the Joint Civilian Task Force comprised of youths selected from 7 major ethnic groups in Kafanchan, Kauru, Kaura and Jama’a Local Government Areas of southern part of Kaduna State.
Colonel Timothy said that the trained youths would be deployed to “various communities alongside security agencies.”.
He added that presence of the Civilian Joint Task Force will aid the security agencies to fish out bad eggs who connive with bandits to perpetrate evil in the communities.
Highlight of the graduation ceremony, the statement said, was a match past parade and light combat demonstration by the graduands to the admiration of the Commander, Operation SAFE HAVEN.