Bandits can’t be declared terrorists without procedures – Minister
By Tada JUTHA, Maiduguri
The Minister of Defense, Maj-Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd) has said that the Federal Government cannot declare bandits as terrorists without adopting clear cut procedures.
Magashi spoke at the weekend in Maiduguri after a closed-door meeting with Service Chiefs on the counter-terrorism operations at Maimalari Cantonment.
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According to him, the Federal Government cannot declare bandits; as there are procedures of declaring them a terror group.
“We cannot declare the bandits destroying many lives and property in the North,” noting there are procedures for doing that.
Other Service Chiefs that attended the security meeting, include Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo, the Chief of Defense Staff, Maj-Gen. Lucky Irabor, Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Auwal Gambo and Lt-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, the Chief of Army Staff, including the Theatre Commander, Maj-Gen. Christopher Musa.
On the outcome of the meeting, he said that the Service Chiefs are at the Theatre Command to review the joint military operations in the Northeast.
He explained that based on the briefings of field Commanders at the theatre of war, there is remarkable progress in decimating most of the terrorists in Sambisa Forest and the Lake Chad region.
He said that the troops are doing the needful to end this madness in restoring peace in the northeast.
“The adopted measures and review of our operations could not be made public,” he said.
Bandits can’t be declared terrorists without procedures – Minister
