The newly decorated Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, Wednesday declared that many bandits and other criminals undermining national security “have been sent to God to go and answer for their crimes.”
Yahaya said this shortly after he was decorated with his new Lieutenant General rank by President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja.
Fielding questions from 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. Yayaha 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 criminals 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.”