The Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi has lamented the state of insecurity in the country, saying that the nation is bleeding.
Major-General Magashi made this known on Thursday at the continuation of the special weekly ministerial briefing in Abuja.
He said that the Federal Government has taken a position after embarking on comprehensive research and finally adopted a methodology to ensure that tactically, all political opponents, ethnic and religious enemies of the country are eliminated.
“This is the only way we can obtain the objectives of protecting our country from internal and external threats but also provide a conducive environment in which aspiration of human security, national progress and development will be realised.
“Make no mistake that our nation is bleeding now.
“It is bleeding because self-interests, underlined decisions by quite a number of our elites have made. They are quick to attribute blames to groups other than theirs.
“The whole idea is to exploit the social division for their political gains”, the minister added.
Making reference to the brutal murder of about a dozen soldiers in Benue state, he underpinned that the military is not taking kindly to the brazen attack.
Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi
According to him, nine weapons have been retrieved from the perpetrators who have also been captured and will be prosecuted.
He also officially confirmed the recent arrest of Boko haram sponsors in Kano state.
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The Minister further argued that he does not agree with the position that all bandits be killed.
He explains that every person is innocent according to the provision of the law until found guilty.
He however said that any bandit found in the forests with an Ak-47 rifle will be immediately gunned down in compliance with the presidential directive.
President Muhammadu Buhari had in March through his Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed that the President has ordered the security agencies to shoot at sight anyone caught in the illegal possession of firearms, notably the AK-47 rifles.
A development that is meant to curb banditry activities in the northwestern states.
Reacting to the death of the former Chadian President, Idris Deby who died on April 20, the Defence Minister admitted that there will be trouble if insecurity in Chad escalates.
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The absence of Chad’s influence on the borders according to him is likely to worsen the security situation for neighboring countries.
He added that the Federal Government is not unmindful of the threats of proliferation of weapons that may arise and a possible influx of refugees in consequence, thus security around the borders of the nation have been heightened.