The Minister of Defence, Maj- Gen. Bashir Magashi, has tasked Nigerians to defend themselves against attacks by kidnappers and other criminal elements in the country, saying: “Stand and face them.”
”Is it (security issue) the responsibility of the military alone? We shouldn’t be cowards,” Magashi added, while reacting to the news of the killing of a student and abduction of 27 of his colleagues from a government college in Niger State.
He said it is a thing of surprise to him that Nigerians often take to their heels on hearing gunshots fired by bandits who sometimes strike with only three rounds of ammunition.
He spoke on the sidelines of the screening of Service Chiefs by the House of Representatives.
Magashi, who was responding to questions on the kidnap of the students, wondered why Nigerians always run away from what he called “minor, minor aggressions.”
He said: “It is the responsibility of everybody to be alert and ensure safety when necessary.
“We shouldn’t be cowards. Sometimes bandits come with about three rounds of ammunition and when they fire shots everybody will run. In our younger days, we stand to fight any form of aggression.
“Why should people run away from minor, minor aggressions?
“We should stand and face them. If these people know that the people have the competence and capability to defend themselves, they will run away.”
He however, assured that the school children would be rescued through the adoption of the same strategy used to free the over 300 pupils of a secondary school in Kankara, Katsina State about two months ago.