Buratai says poll losers backing bandits, gunmen seize eight in Zamfara

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai, on Wednesday said embittered politicians who were bent on destabilising the country were responsible for the rising activities of bandits.

He, however, warned them to abide by the outcomes of the elections and exercise restraints and allow peace to reign.

The Army chief pointed out that the military had strong evidence against the politicians sponsoring banditry, kidnapping and other forms of criminal acts.

He gave this assertion while hosting members of the 10-man Committee on Army of the House of Representatives, who were in Maiduguri on a two-day oversight function.

He said, “There are myriads of security challenges we are facing right now in the North-West, North-Central and other parts of the country. I want to believe, and rightly so, that with the fallout of the just-concluded general elections, there are politicians who saw their defeat as a means of revenge, sponsoring these criminal activities and even banditry and clashes between the farmers and herders.

“We use this opportunity to call on members of the House of Representatives to prevail on some of these politicians, to really look at national interest first before any political or sectional interest. We have some strong evidence but we are still being conscious so that we don’t get it wrong but the best is to advise these politicians.”

He urged politicians to desist from any activities that would inflict pains on civilians, warning that all criminals would be dealt with in accordance with the law of the land.

He assured his guests that the Army would continue to pursue terrorists until they were finally exterminated from the nation.

Buratai equally assured Nigerians that the Army was capable of fighting criminals including Boko Haram terrorists, kidnappers and bandits across the country.

He said despite attacks on soft targets by the insurgents in recent times, the Nigerian Army had degraded their manpower and weapons while efforts were being made to deal with the terrorists at their hideouts and those on the run.

The COAS, while appreciating the visit of the committee members, assured them that their coming would definitely boost the morale of the troops and give them more confidence to face the task ahead.

He also commended the committee members and the National Assembly for their support and encouragement to the Nigerian Army operations across the country.

Earlier, the Chairman of the House Committee on Army, Rimammade Kwewum, who led other members on the visit, said they were in Maiduguri at the Operation Lafiya Dole headquarters as part of their legislative oversight function to assess activities of the Nigerian Army and receive briefings on the activities of the command.