Insecurity In Nigeria A ‘Political’ Issue Left For Military To Resolve — Buratai
A former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Tukur Buratai, believes defeating insecurity in Nigeria requires a holistic approach, claiming the problem stems from politics.
Buratai was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily and thinks leaving the fight against insecurity to the military alone won’t help the country.
“It was started through some political actors, and it was essentially a political issue. This insecurity is essentially political, and now, it’s been left to the military, and the political actors are staying behind.
“So, this is something that is needed for a total review of the security aspect in terms of political associations or political involvement and so on,” the former army chief, who served in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, said on the breakfast show.
In parts of the country, bandits have abducted scores of persons, killing others and destroying homes.
Kidnapping for ransom and other crimes have also continued to fester in many states of the federation, raising concerns among Nigerians and even international bodies.
However, the former security chief suggested a more robust approach to resolve the perennial issue.
Buratai listed economic challenges as some of the contributing factors to the rising levels of insecurity in Nigeria.
“It’s very clear that apart from the military, we have the economic line, you know, we have the social line, we have the political line — very important,” said Burutai.
Buratai dismissed claims that the military was hindering the fight against insecurity, and instead said, “They are the solution — one aspect of the solution — and they will play their role very well if they have good support”.
“You cannot demoralise him,” Buratai said about troops scattered in many parts of the country fighting insurgents and other criminals.
“If you demoralise him, or you despise him, make things difficult for him, then you are endangering his life and that of his family, and you are endangering the life of the whole of Nigerians.”
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, had revealed that terrorists in Nigeria are increasingly using gold as a means to finance their operations.
General Musa, during a guest appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday, explained that terror financiers relied on complex networks, including international connections, which make it difficult to immediately expose or prosecute them.
When asked about the main source of financing for these groups, the defence chief replied, “Gold. They try to circulate this money, and that is why it is important for us to be able to track these things.
“The process is on. It has to do with a lot of legal issues, and because it has to do with international connections, some of them have funds coming from outside, we cannot do anything from within.
