LAGOS, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai on Thursday commissioned a newly established 17 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in northwest Katsina State to address security challenges in the region.
The army chief said the establishment and operation of the brigade was part of the robust response to the numerous security challenges in the country.
Buratai said the brigade was set up after a threat analysis of the state and the entire North-West zone.
He said the Army Council gave the approval for it under the 2016 "Order of Battle."
The military chief said the establishment of the formation was strategic in view of the numerous security challenges the nation was grappling with.
He said in particular, the state was faced with the challenges of cattle rustling, armed robbery and armed banditry, as well as cross border crimes.
Earlier, the state governor, Aminu Masari, said nine local government areas in the state share boundary with the Kamuku forest, where a lot of criminal activities take place.
According to him, the forest covers Kaduna, Niger and a few other states in the northwest, noting that the challenges of cattle rustling, armed robbery and armed banditry still remain.
The governor promised to support the army and other security agencies in the state in the efforts to rid it of criminality.
