Defence Minister General Christopher Musa (Rtd) warned troops in Sokoto that any soldier who hesitates to kill bandits or terrorists while waiting for orders will be treated as a terrorist themselves.
Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd), has issued a blunt warning to troops: shoot bandits and terrorists on sight, or face being treated as one yourself.
According to Sahara Reporters,Musa gave the directive Wednesday during a handover of newly acquired military equipment in Sokoto State, telling soldiers they have a duty to neutralize security threats immediately upon deployment, without waiting for orders from above.
“I want to reiterate to all members of the armed forces and security forces, once you are deployed, do not wait for any order from anybody to shoot any bandit or any terrorist,” Musa said. He didn’t mince words on the consequences of hesitation either: “Anybody who refuses to shoot or kill any bandit or terrorist in the name of waiting for an order, we will treat you like a bandit.”
The minister also used the occasion to stress that the newly acquired equipment, funded by billions of naira in taxpayer money, must be properly maintained and put to effective use. He warned that the government would return in a year to assess how well the gear had been managed, cautioning troops against neglect or mishandling.
“They were bought so that you can take anybody who is trying to cause mayhem wherever he is,” Musa said, adding it was troops’ responsibility to “take him down, not to allow him take you down.”
Musa reassured residents of Sokoto and Nigerians nationwide that the federal government remains committed to tackling insecurity across the country.
His remarks come as Nigeria continues battling insurgency in the North-East, banditry across the North-West and North-Central, and separatist-linked violence in the South-East. The prolonged violence has displaced millions, disrupted farming, worsened food insecurity, and placed heavy strain on security forces — even as successive administrations have faced criticism over delayed responses and the persistence of attacks despite rising defence spending.
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