Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd.), has directed security personnel deployed to combat insecurity to immediately engage and neutralise bandits and terrorists without waiting for further authorisation.
Musa gave the directive on Wednesday in Sokoto while commissioning 62 operational vehicles and security equipment worth ₦27.127 billion procured by the Sokoto State Government to strengthen the fight against banditry and other violent crimes.
The minister warned that any operative who fails to confront armed criminals under the excuse of awaiting orders would be treated as an accomplice.“Once you are deployed, do not wait for any order from anybody to shoot any bandit or any terrorist,” Musa said.
“Anybody who refuses to shoot or kill any bandit or terrorist in the name of waiting for an order, we will treat you like a bandit.”
He described the commissioning as a demonstration of the growing partnership between the Federal Government and states in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.
“This event is not merely the unveiling of security assets. It is a demonstration of strategic leadership, responsible governance and our collective determination to strengthen the security architecture of Sokoto State and Nigeria as a whole,” he said.
The minister commended Governor Ahmed Aliyu for making substantial investments in security, noting that the latest donation was not the first support the state had provided to security agencies.
“This is not the first time he is donating vehicles to security forces and other government agencies. He has continued to do that over and over, and we are ever grateful for that,” Musa stated.
He said the newly commissioned armoured vehicles and tactical equipment would improve operational mobility, intelligence gathering and force protection, enabling security agencies to respond more effectively to banditry, terrorism and kidnapping.
Musa stressed that security was a shared responsibility, urging residents to continue supporting security agencies with credible information.
“Security cannot be achieved by government alone. It requires trust, vigilance, timely intelligence and sustained cooperation between the security agencies and the communities because the bandits and terrorists live within these communities,” he said.
The Defence Minister also reminded personnel that the equipment represented a huge investment and must be properly maintained.
“This equipment costs billions of naira that could have been used for other aspects of development. We don’t want to hand them over and then you throw them away or mishandle them. They must serve the purpose for which they were procured,” he added.
He, however, cautioned security personnel to remain professional while carrying out operations.
“You are not to go there and extort or harass the people. You are there to protect them and work with them to eliminate bandits and terrorists operating within your area,” he said.
Earlier, Governor Ahmed Aliyu said the Sokoto State Government had procured the vehicles and security equipment at a cost of ₦27.127 billion as part of its commitment to strengthening security across the state.
He added that the assets would be deployed to identify flashpoints to support ongoing operations against bandits and other criminal elements.