Kontagora: In a powerful display of military resolve, the Nigerian Army has issued a stern warning to criminal elements operating in Niger State, declaring Kontagora and its environs off-limits to miscreants.
During a live demonstration at the Military Training Area in Kontagora, Nigerian Army Military Training Area (NAMTA) in Kontagora on Saturday, artillery units fired rounds to reinforce their message: peace will not be compromised.
Maj.-Gen. Zakari Abubakar emphasised that sustainable development hinges on security and urged all citizens, including religious leaders, to champion the cause of peace.
The test-firing guns were aimed at sending a strong message to criminal groups operating in the area.
Abubakar said that peace was the foundation of every meaningful development, adding that everyone had a responsibility to promote and sustain it.
“Sustainable development can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace,” he said.
The commander urged troops to remain vigilant, professional and proactive in their duties, stressing the need to deny miscreants any opportunity to disrupt the relative peace enjoyed in the region.
He also called on residents to support security agencies by providing timely and credible information that could aid ongoing operations to rid the area of insecurity.
The commander appealed to religious leaders to continue preaching messages of peace to their congregation, saying that peace was a universal language that all must uphold.