Christopher Musa has directed Nigerian troops to kill terrorists and bandits on sight during the inauguration of N27.7 billion worth of security assets donated by Sokoto State.
Minister of Defence Christopher Musa has ordered troops deployed across Nigeria to shoot and kill bandits and terrorists on sight without waiting for instructions, warning that any soldier or security officer who hesitates will be treated as an accessory to crime.
Musa issued the directive on Wednesday in Sokoto during the inauguration of 62 armoured vehicles and 320 motorcycles procured by the Sokoto State Government, valued at approximately N27.7 billion, for deployment by various security agencies operating in the state.
Shoot without orders or be treated like a bandit
Musa left no room for ambiguity in his address to troops.
“I want to reiterate this 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,” he said.
He went further, spelling out the consequences of hesitation.
“I want to make that very loud and clear. Anybody who refuses to shoot or kill any bandit or terrorist in the name of he is waiting for an order, we will treat you like a bandit.
“The federal government, the state government, the local government and indeed Nigerian taxpayers’ money is what is used to buy these equipment. And they are bought so that you can take down anybody who is trying to cause mayhem wherever he is. So it is your responsibility to ensure that you take him down, not to allow him take you down.”
Musa also addressed the stewardship of the newly inaugurated assets, warning officials against neglecting or mishandling the equipment.
“We don’t want to hand them over and then you throw them away or you mishandle them and they become bad within a few months,” he said.
“They must serve the purpose they were procured for.”
He said officials would return after one year to assess the condition of the equipment, and noted that the federal government “remains unwavering in its commitment” to securing every part of the country.
Sokoto governor reveals N36.27bn spent on security since inception
Governor Ahmed Aliyu said the newly acquired armoured vehicles and motorcycles would be deployed to identified flashpoints to strengthen ongoing operations against bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements. He said the intervention was aimed at improving the operational efficiency of security agencies and ensuring the protection of lives and property across the state.
Aliyu disclosed that his administration had previously spent more than N36.27 billion on similar logistics support for the armed forces and other security agencies operating in Sokoto State. He added that the Sokoto State House of Assembly was considering legislation that would prescribe sanctions for informants aiding criminal groups, similar to those imposed on bandits.
He reaffirmed that security remains a top priority under his administration’s Nine-Point Smart Agenda and commended the federal government, the armed forces, other security agencies and stakeholders for their continued efforts in addressing insecurity.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, represented by the Wazirin Sokoto, Sambo Wali Junaidu, commended the governor for his sustained investment in security, describing the intervention as a significant contribution to the protection of lives and property in the state.
Context
Sokoto State sits at the epicentre of Nigeria’s northwest banditry crisis, where armed groups have killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands of residents over the past decade. Musa’s shoot-on-sight directive, delivered in the state capital, signals a hardening of the federal government’s operational posture one that removes the procedural buffer of command authorisation and places the burden of lethal decision-making directly on individual soldiers and security officers in the field. Musa described Sokoto as his home state, recalling that he was born and raised there, lending a personal dimension to what was otherwise a stark operational order.
