Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, news decorated Chief of Army Staff COAS), Wednesday said that bandits and other criminals waging wars against the government and undermining national security “have been sent to God to go and answer for their crimes.”
The Chief of Army Staff said this shortly after he was decorated as a Lieutenant General by President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential villa, Abuja.
Addressing newsmen, the COAS appreciated Buhari for the confidence reposed in him and pledged his unalloyed loyalty on behalf of the officers and men of the Nigerian Army.
He said, “I want to first 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 and Chief of Army Staff.
“And I want to pledge my unalloyed loyalty on behalf of the officers and men of Nigerian Army and also continue to do our very best to arrest this challenge that we have, particularly insurgency, insecurity and other violent crimes.
“We are already getting successes. We will leverage on that, including our experience in this job and by the grace of God, we shall get there.”
When requested to send a message to the bandits and other criminals elements in different parts of the country, he added, “That’s what we have started doing already and many of them have been sent to God to go and answer for their crimes. And we will continue to do that.”