General Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff, has pledged to liberate communities plagued by insurgents and bandits in the coming year.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, he sought public support for this mission, emphasizing collaboration with state governments.
General Musa assured, “This year, God willing, we will ensure no community is held by bandits, allowing displaced individuals to return home from IDP camps.”
The recent Christmas Eve attack in Plateau, claiming 200 lives, has heightened concerns about security efforts.
General Musa acknowledged the challenges, stating, “We cannot be everywhere,” emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts to combat terror in the region.
He attributed the attacks to an attempt to embarrass the government and assured ongoing efforts to apprehend those responsible.
“I think the purpose is to embarrass everybody and to make the government look stupid and whoever did this we are up on their heels and making some arrests”
“The general area where this incident occurred is not a small area and people question why the military was not able to react quickly.”
“We cannot be everywhere,” he said while responding to the military’s delay in accessing the terror-prone areas.
On the challenges the military faced in their fight against banditry, General Musa said they were of a political nature that required decision-making from the political class
“The truth about it is that the challenges we are facing are political challenges and it is only when decisions are taken and directives have been given that we can take them, ” he said.
“The military can only do so much, only they go back and can’t get the support from the government, that is why it is important that we work together as a team”
“It is a political decision, not a military decision on what is to be done,”
General Musa also bemoaned criticisms from various quarters over the military’s effect on ending the scourge of banditry
“What we try to avoid is to make our troops feel unappreciated”
“They are doing so much and I can guarantee that we are achieving a lot ”
“It is that one goal that the enemy has been able to get over us that people leverage on”
“It is quite unfortunate that people have died and it is painful for us as commanders,” he said.
Ada Peter
