The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya, says that many bandits have been sent to God to answer for their crimes.
He said this on Wednesday shortly after the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), decorated him with the rank of Lieutenant General.
Buhari was assisted by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The event took place at the State House in Abuja.
After the decoration ceremony, Yahaya fielded questions from journalists on the President’s recent statement that bandits and other criminal elements threatening Nigeria’s unity will be treated in the language that they understand.
Buhari had made the statement in reaction to the recent attacks on offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission, and police formations.
“Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War.
“Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand,” Buhari said.
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Reacting to the statement, the COAS said, “That’s what we have started doing already.
“Many of them have been sent to God to answer for their crimes, and we will continue to do that.”
On the new rank, Yahaya thanked the President for the confidence reposed in him as he promised that the army will do its best to arrest the current security challenges in the country.
He said, “I want to most sincerely appreciate the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces for the confidence reposed in me and now being decorated lieutenant general.
“I want to pledge my unalloyed loyalty, on behalf of the officers and men of the Nigerian Army. We would also continue to do our very best to arrest the current insecurity, which includes insurgency and other violent crimes.
“We are already getting successes and we will leverage on that including our experience in this job and by the grace of God we will get there.”
