We’ve sent bandits, insurgents to God, says Army Chief

ABUJA – Newly decorated Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, on Wednesday declared that many bandits and other criminals undermining national security “have been sent to God to go and answer for their crimes.”

He spoke shortly after he was decorated with his new Lieutenant General rank by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Fielding questions from State House correspon­dents, the army boss ap­preciated the president for the confidence reposed in him, pledging his unalloyed loyalty on behalf of the of­ficers and men of the Nige­rian army.

He said they would con­tinue to do their best to ar­rest insecurity in the coun­try particularly insurgency and other violent crimes.

Gen. Yahaya affirmed that successes were already being recorded, saying that the military would leverage on it and its experience.

He said: “I want to first 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.

“And I want to pledge my unalloyed loyalty on behalf of the officers and men of Nigerian army and also continue to do our very best to arrest this challenge that we have, particularly insurgency, insecurity and other violent crimes.

“We are already getting successes. We will leverage on that including our expe­rience in this job and by the grace of God, we shall get there.”

Asked what message he had for the bandits and other criminal elements undermining national security, given President Buhari’s declaration that they would be treated in the language they under­stand, he stated: “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.”