Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has warned Nigerians against supporting bandits or terrorists in any form, saying such actions make them enemies of the state.
Musa gave the warning on Tuesday, July 29, during an interactive session organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna
“Anyone who is contributing one way or the other to the downfall of our country is an enemy of the state, and we must face him squarely and defeat him,” he said.
Reaffirming the military’s commitment to securing the region and the nation, he promised, “we will never let the north down. We will never let Nigeria down. We are ready for whatever it takes to succeed.
“We’re committed; we will stay awake 24/7 to ensure that the north is free, Nigeria is secure, and any enemy of the state will be pursued relentlessly until total peace and tranquillity are restored,” Musa said.
He stressed that military operations are focused on criminals, not innocent civilians, and urged local communities to work with security forces.
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“If the people are not happy with what we are doing, then we are not succeeding. Commanders must ensure they carry the community along and protect them. Our operations are not aimed at harming innocent people but targeting the bad guys,” he said.
Musa warned those supplying food, fuel, or other aid to bandits that they are part of the problem.
“If we find out that you are part of the criminal network by supplying them, you are also a bandit, you are also a terrorist,” he stated.
“The terrorists and bandits live among us. If we continue to provide them with services, they will continue to thrive. But if we deny them, they will fizzle out.”
He revealed that in two years, the armed forces had killed over 3,000 terrorists and bandits, secured the surrender of more than 120,000 insurgents, and rescued more than 2,000 kidnap victims.
Over 2,300 weapons and 72,000 rounds of ammunition were also recovered.