Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (retd.) has warned that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity could soon place top political office holders, including ministers, senators and state governors, in the crosshairs of terrorists and bandits if urgent measures are not taken.
Buratai issued the warning in a statement made available to journalists on Sunday while reacting to the reported killing of retired Major General Abubakar Rabe by bandits.
According to the former army chief, the killing of a senior military officer by non-state actors represents a dangerous erosion of tactical deterrence and a major threat to national security.
“Let me be clear: if this trend continues unchecked, the next targets may not be soldiers or civilians alone. They could include ministers, senators, and even state governors. No leader will be immune,” Buratai said.
He described the incident as another wake-up call for the nation, lamenting that insecurity continues to escalate despite repeated warnings.
Buratai recalled that in 2021, he predicted that insurgency and banditry could persist for two decades if decisive action was not taken.
“Today, our nation is witnessing the grim unfolding of that prediction. The capture, torture and eventual killing of a senior military officer, Major General Rabe Abubakar, is not merely a tragedy; it marks a dangerous threshold,” he stated.
The former army chief noted that bandits and insurgents now operate with intelligence capabilities, sophisticated weaponry, and audacity that increasingly rival conventional security forces.
He criticised what he described as the current reactive approach to insecurity, including ransom payments and negotiations with criminal groups, insisting that such strategies must end.
“The current reactive strategy, paying ransoms and negotiating with criminals, must end. It is time for a full-scale, coordinated military and intelligence offensive,” he said.
Buratai pointed to the successes recorded between 2015 and 2019 through sustained military operations, arguing that a more aggressive and coordinated security response is required to tackle the current threat.
He also suggested adopting a model similar to the COVID-19 Presidential Task Force, with a unified command structure overseeing security operations in high-risk states.
According to him, insecurity has evolved beyond a regional challenge and should now be treated as a national emergency.
“The Federal Government should establish a unified command with direct authority over all security agencies operating in high-risk states, eliminating bureaucratic delays. This command should report directly to the President and be given a clear, time-bound mandate to dismantle terrorist and bandit strongholds,” Buratai advised.
The retired military officer further called for intensified efforts to identify and prosecute those financing criminal activities, including illegal miners, ransom negotiators, corrupt middlemen, and local collaborators.
“Bandits do not survive on AK-47s alone. They rely on networks of corrupt middlemen, illegal miners, ransom negotiators and local collaborators. These individuals must be identified, arrested and prosecuted. The cost of supporting terrorism should be made unbearable,” he said.
Buratai maintained that only a comprehensive and coordinated national response would prevent further deterioration of the security situation and restore public confidence in the country’s security architecture.
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