2023: Tinubu promises to launch ABATTS if elected president

The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has promised to establish a highly trained and disciplined anti-terrorist battalions to tackle insecurity in the country.

Tinubu’s aspiration for a new Nigeria was contained in his 80-page manifesto tagged “Renewed Hope 2023, Action Plan for a Better Nigeria”, which was launched yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He also assured that the Police Force would be repositioned to deliver on its primary duties of community policing and maintaining law and order through crime fighting and prevention.

Tinubu noted that the police personnel would be freed from extraneous duties such as VIP security and guard duties.

He said: “Highly trained and disciplined anti-terrorist battalions (ABATTS) with special forces units will be created. Their objective shall be to seize the strategic and tactical initiative, giving terrorists, kidnappers and bandits.

“Military units will be better equipped with tactical communications gear and new vehicles to give them a greater communications and mobility advantage over criminals, bandits and terrorists.

“We will further modernise our Armed Forces by ensuring that our weapons systems (land, sea and air) are capable of addressing current and anticipated security threats in the modern world. This shall also mean the recruitment of people who possess the technical skills required for today’s military.”