Defence Minister Blasted For Seeking God’s Help In Fighting Bandits

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called out Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Maj-Gen Bashir Magashi (rtd) over a disturbing comment he made concerning the fight against bandits and terrorists.

Magashi had called on Nigerians to seek God’s help to defeat the terrorists.

Reacting, HURIWA stated that seeking for God’s intervention is an excuse for the failure to secure lives and properties of Nigerians.

The group also condemned the military and police operations in Orlu, maintaining that a lot of innocent passer-by’s and house owners lost their lives and were deprived of their homes by unknown gunmen.

HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko stated that it was a fraudulent act to continue earning salary from tax payers money while looking unto God for a solution to the insecurity issues plaguing the nation.

The group said: “It is unfortunate that the defence minister, just like his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari, has now surrendered to God. Since God now does his job, why not resign because it is fraudulent to fail to do your constitutionally spelt out duty you now want God to become the defence minister but you want to continue earning the salaries. Why not surrender the entire salary to God and then step down?

“Why not allow clerics including native doctors to take over your job since fighting terrorists now involve divine solutions rather than military warfare? If spiritual incantations are what will end terrorist violence, It is all fraudulent and lame excuse of failures to lie against God to cover up incompetence.

“The United States military forces have been recorded to crush many terrorist elements both within and outside America. While they trust in God, they are not incompetent like all those we have in Nigeria. Military warfare is about skills, wherewithal, technical know-how, equipment, the right strategy, adequate manpower and the appropriate deployment of high valued intelligence.

“It is no news that the President, the defence minister and all the service chiefs have failed woefully, according to section 14(2) (b) of the Constitution which says the primary duty of government is “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.

“For the umpteenth time, HURIWA calls for the sacking of all the incompetent heads of security agencies especially the defence minister and National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno if President Muhammadu Buhari seriously wishes to bequeath ant lasting legacy as someone who led Nigeria both as a military dictator and for eight years as a democratically-elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.