Thursday, June 9, 2026 - The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), has warned security personnel deployed to fight terrorism and banditry against hesitating to engage terrorists, saying any officer who waits for an order before taking action would be treated as a terrorist.
Speaking on Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at the commissioning of
62 armoured vehicles and over 300 motorcycles procured by the Sokoto State
Government for security agencies, Musa said troops must act decisively against
criminal elements within the rules of engagement.
"Anybody who refuses to shoot a terrorist in the name
of waiting for an order, we will treat him like a bandit,” he said.
The minister also cautioned security personnel against
harassing or extorting members of the public, stressing that they were deployed
to protect law-abiding citizens and not to intimidate them.
He urged them to demonstrate professionalism, discipline and
accountability while carrying out their duties.
Musa described the procurement of the security assets as a
major boost to the state’s security architecture, saying the vehicles and
motorcycles would enhance the mobility and operational effectiveness of
security agencies in responding to banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and other
violent crimes.
He noted that the country’s security challenges were
constantly evolving, with terrorists and other criminal elements changing
tactics and exploiting difficult terrain.
Musa added that the response of security agencies must
equally evolve through better mobility, intelligence-led operations and
effective coordination.
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