The Nigerian Army has said that it has already deployed Special Forces to Southern Kaduna to join other security agencies in making sure that normalcy is restored to that region.

Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, made this known on Thursday after a security meeting at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He added that the army will launch the second phase of its operation codenamed “Operation Harbin Kunama” to other parts of Northern Nigeria,including Southern Kaduna and parts of Plateau and Kano states as part of renewed efforts at maintaining peace and stability in the country.

Buratai said: “Our troops are already in Southern Kaduna, we have our special forces operating there along with all other security agencies.

“And we intend also to have an exercise very soon to cover some part of Plateau and indeed part of Kano state.

“So, it is part of our strategy also this year to continue all the exercises we have had before.

The army chief also said “Operation Harbin Kunama 2” will be expanded to include “Southern Kaduna, part of Plateau and part of Kano state, around Falgore forest.”

He added that ongoing army operations such as the “Operation Crocodile Smile” in the Niger Delta, and “Operation Python Dance” in the South East.

Buratai however added that “we are going rename that exercise Python Dance for the South East, this year.”

Recall that the first phase of Operation Harbin Kunama was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari in July 2016 in Zamfara State to tackle head-on the growing rate of Cattle rustling and armed banditry in the State.

The operation was launched in the dense Dansadau forest which was believed to be the strong hold of the criminals that were at the time terrorizing citizens of Zamfara State.

The Southern Kaduna crisis has led to the death of scores of people in the state leading to accusations and counter accusations by both the Christian and Muslim leaders in Nigeria.

However, uneasy calm seem to have returned to the region following interventions by the Nigerian police who has established a Mobile Police base in Kafanchan, a major town in Southern Kaduna.