The military is implementing the presidential order to reduce the influence and activities of criminals across the country, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya, confirmed on Wednesday.
Lt.-Gen. Yahaya told reporters after President Muhammadu Buhari decorated him with his new rank at the State House in Abuja that many bandits, terrorists and other criminals had “already been sent to God to go and answer for their crimes.”
He vowed that the Army would give its best to tackle prevailing security challenges in some parts of the country.
The COAS also pledged his unalloyed loyalty to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces as well as the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He said: “I want to most sincerely appreciate the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces for the confidence reposed in me and now being decorated Lieutenant General., and Chief of Army Staff.
“I want to pledge my unalloyed loyalty, on behalf of the officers and men of the Nigerian Army. We would also continue to do our very best to arrest the current insecurity, which includes insurgency and other violent crimes.
“We are already getting successes and we will leverage on that including our experience in this job and by the grace of God we will get there.”
On his message to bandits and other criminals elements undermining national security, given the President’s directive that they be treated in the language they understand, Lt.-Gen. Yahaya said: “That’s what we have started doing already and many of them have been sent to God to go and answer for their crimes. And we will continue to do that.”
Also speaking, Defence Minister Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi said the COAS kicked-off very well.
The minister said: “Well, I think like every other Chief, his mandate is to bring to an end to banditry, kidnapping and the book haram issue and right form his assumption to date, there is a lot of improvement in the way we have been fighting this war.
“The planning is thorough and the activities are going according to operational plans and I am sure with that kind of arrangement, we will get out of the insurgency problem.”
Gen. Magashi said all those perpetrating insecurity in parts of the country would be brought to book as the law will take its course against them, adding that those picking arms against security personnel would also be punished.
“If you commit an offence, you will be arrested, tried and if you are guilty, you will be punished. But for anybody picking arms against a soldier, you know what that means and we will also treat him according to the law,” he said.
Giving further explanation on the President’s comment that criminals would be treated in the language they understand, the minister said: “I don’t think there is anything wrong to get rid of an enemy if he also wants to get rid of you and that is what the President is saying; ‘you cannot own a weapon illegally and be allowed to stay alive because that weapon can be used against you’.
“We will take on anybody who is carrying arms. Nigeria will not allow that to continue to happen. That is our message.”
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