The military is implementing the presidential order to reduce the influence and activities of criminals across the country, Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Farouk Yahaya, confirmed on Wednesday.
Mr 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.
Mr 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.”
