President Muhammadu Buhari has directed security agencies to go into the bushes and shoot whoever they see with AK-47.

Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, who disclosed this in an interview with the BBC said the president has ordered a clampdown on bandits who have refused to surrender.

Shehu said the government is resorting to lethal force to rid Zamfara and other northern states of bandits.

He said, “The president has ordered security forces to go into the bushes and shoot whoever they see with sophisticated weapons like AK-47.

“He ordered that whoever is seen with terrible weapons at all should be shot immediately.”

Shehu also said the Federal Government declared a no-flight zone in Zamfara following intelligence that arms were being transported to the bandits with private jets.

He added that the jets are also used to cart away gold from the state to Dubai saying the development is responsible for the recent ban on mining activities in the state.

He said, “These jets are being used to pick up gold that is being mined in some parts of Zamfara and exported. This is strong because at the moment.

“There is a Nigerian gold market in Dubai. The government is losing, the people of this country are losing, that’s why it is said that gold mining is banned for those who are not made by the government.”

Recall that in April 2017, mining activities were banned in Zamfara following reports that security crisis in the state was being fueled by people who were hell-bent on mining the state’s gold reserves.