Civilian communities in rural areas have been warned to refrain from living with suspected criminals and report any suspicious movement to appropriate authority
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, gave the the warning when he paid visit to the troops of Operations FASAN HANYA at the 8 Division Headquarters, Sokoto
He strongly advised civilians living with suspected criminals to desist from such act or face the consequences of their actions.
Responding to the allegations of killing of civilians in the recent attack in Silame local government on Christmas Day, General said the military would investigate such claims but warned that the military will not take any responsibility for anyone harbouring criminals in their midst.
“I want to call on everyone not to harbour any suspected criminals in their midst, be it Lakurawa or Bandits, they should expose them and leave their vicinity.
“The military is not going to take it lightly with any criminals disturbing the peace of the nation, we are dealing with them and we are coming for the rest.
“We have individual that still harbor them and once you do that you are making yourself a legitimate target, will appeal, do not harbor yourself around them, do not live with them to avoid being a legitimate target.
“Please, do not hang yourself around them, do not give them any support in whatever means because once you do that you are making yourself a target
“The incident that happens yesterday was an operations we did, we follow up and we try as much as we can to avoid any mistakes, if there are other mistake that came up in the operation, we will investigate.
“We did our homework, we have the video of everything that happens and we are going to investigate”
While calling on media not to give the bandits or other criminal elements much publicity.
He said the country will not allow any foreign base on Nigeria soil, while calling on neighbouring country like Niger, Chad, Benin among others to cooperate with the country in dealing with enemy of peace.
Turning to troops of the Operation FASAN YAMMA, his words “I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to every one of you for your unwavering dedication and sacrifices in ensuring the safety and security of Nigeria, particularly in your deployment to the Joint Task Force Northwest Operation FANSAN YAMMA.
“Despite the inherent challenges, your daily commitment to duty in the field remains a source of inspiration to us all and further exemplifies the true spirit of patriotism required for defeating the threats to our nation’s peace and stability.
“The recent deployment of the Special Operations Brigade and some combat enablers to dislodge and eliminate the reemergence of Lakurawas’ terrorists from their camps in Sokoto and Kebbi states, and the successes so far achieved is a testament to our commitment to resolving and combating all security threats across the theatres of operations.
“Accordingly, and under my leadership, the Armed Forces of Nigeria will continue to sustain its operational tempo and posture across military deployments both home and abroad”
“The coming year presents us with an opportunity to make significant progress in overcoming the challenges confronting our nation.
“Together, we must strive to ensure that the Year 2025 is marked by transformative victories in all our operational theatres, particularly in Operation FANSAN YAMMA”
He assure the troops all the necessary support and resources to carry out their tasks effectively.
“Your welfare, and that of your families, remains a top priority, and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure your needs are met”.