Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff ( COAS), on Monday told bandits, Boko Haram terrorists and others criminals terrorising Nigerians that their time is up, promising that there will be no hiding place for them.
Yahaya also issued a stern warning to anyone who take up arms against the Nigerian state in whatever guise to be prepared to face the full wrath of the law.
The Army chief General gave the warning in Maiduguri while on a visit to boost the morale of troops fighting Boko Haram terrorists and commission some projects aimed at bettering the lives and welfare of troops in the Theatre and Area of Responsibility..
He said the force is poised to carry out mandate given to them by President Muhammadu Buhari. He then reassured that violent criminals will soon meet their waterloo.
‘This is a message to all the criminals, whether they are making videos or whatever they are making, the time is up and we will get to them by the grace of God.” Gen. Yahaya said
He added that, ” Anybody who takes up arm against the state in whatever form it is, will have him/her self to blame.”
The Army Chief who admitted that there are security challenges in some parts of the country, was quick to say that “the recent happenings by these criminal elements are panic action, and they will definitely see the noose getting close to them; it’s just a matter of time , we will get them.”
He also revealed that the Army has brought back some main battle weapons which will soon be deployed to different parts of the the country to tackle insecurity.
”We are here at the range today to see some of the main battle tanks and other variants of them that were put back to shape even after some time when they were unserviceable due to our ongoing operations. These ( battle tanks and other weapons) are in good state and ready to be redeployed to our various operations in the North East and other theatres where we are also operating against bandits, kidnappers and other criminals.
In his welcome address, the Theatre Commander, ‘Operation Hadin Kai’ North East, Major General Christopher Musa acknowleged the consistent support rendered to the troops in the frontline by the Chief of Army Staff which has led to the degrading of remnants of insurgents with over 67,000 members who have since surrendered and currently undergoing deradicalization before reintegration into the society.
He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, security agencies and members of the public for their support and cooperation towards winning the war against terrorism and other crimes in the country.
The occasion also witnessed the commissioning of a Building of 36 flats to ease accommodation problems for soldiers among other projects executed in the theatre as some parts of troops’ welfare and comfort ability