The president held a closed-door meeting with security chiefs at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, April 11, 2019.
After the meeting, which lasted around two hours, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, told State House correspondents that the president has issued a directive to put an immediate end to insecurity in the country.
"We have the marching order to deal with this issue immediately and ruthlessly and ensure that all those bandits are immediately dealt with and all those issues that are bordering with our security are properly addressed," he said.
Zamfara has been terribly-hit with a wave of kidnappings and killings by bandits with the state becoming the face of insecurity in the country in the past few months.
The Federal Government recently suspended all mining activities in Zamfara and environs following intelligence report that suggested a connection between the activities of the bandits and illegal miners.
Last week, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, announced the deployment of officers for Operation Puff Adder to tackle violent crimes, especially banditry and kidnapping in Zamfara, Kogi, Katsina, and Niger.
The operation also covers the Abuja-Kaduna Highway, which has witnessed several kidnappings in recent weeks.
Speaking after Thursday's meeting, the IGP said the route has been cleared and is now safe for travellers.