Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has issued a stern warning to citizens: anyone providing material or moral support to bandits or terrorists “is an enemy of the state” and will be treated as such.
Speaking at an interactive session on government‑citizen engagement organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna, the CDS emphasised that:
“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.”
General Musa reaffirmed the military’s unwavering commitment to securing Nigeria, especially the north.
He said, “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.”
Highlighting the role of communities in intelligence-led security, he added: “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.”
General Musa delivered his most pointed remarks when addressing citizens aiding criminals, saying: “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 urged Nigerians to actively deny terrorists and bandits any support. “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 said.
General Musa reported significant accomplishments under his leadership over the past two years: over 3,000 terrorists and bandits have been neutralised through military operations, more than 120,000 insurgents surrendered to security forces, over 2,000 kidnapped victims have been rescued, and uthorities recovered over 2,300 firearms and 72,000 rounds of ammunition in northern operations.
These statistics underscore the government’s expansive efforts to dismantle criminal networks and restore security in conflict-affected zones.
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