Bandits have overrun Nigeria because government allowed them, says TY Danjuma

Theophilus Danjuma, former minister of defence, says the insecurity in the country is a result of the government’s failure.

Danjuma said this on Saturday in Wukari, Taraba state, during the installation of a monarch.

The retired general said the mission of the bandits is to re-colonise Nigeria.

Danjuma had, in 2018, accused the army and other security agencies of colluding with killers to attack Nigerians.

He had accused the army of “bias”, saying it had failed in its responsibility of securing the country from attacks.

“The armed forces are not neutral. They collude with the armed bandits. They kill people, kill Nigerians. They facilitate their movements, they cover them,” Danjuma had said.

“If you depend on the armed forces to stop the killings you will all die one by one.”

Reacting to his allegations, the Nigerian army set up a panel to probe the former defence chief’s statements, saying it was capable of damaging the reputation of the armed forces and stirring strife in the country.

Referring to the incident in his speech on Saturday, Danjuma said the happenings in the country have vindicated him.

“When some few years ago I warned that the armed forces are either not capable or unwilling to protect us and that we must defend ourselves, the first denial about what I said came from the ministry of defence,” he said.

“They said I was lying and they set up a kangaroo board of inquiry to investigate the truth or otherwise of what I said.

“They invited me to come and testify but I did not go. They wrote their report which state that I was only speculating and that there was no evidence. But now there is evidence.

“The whole country now is being overrun and one very clear thing that is happening now is that these foreign invaders are destroying everything and our government allowed them to come into the country.

“As a soldier, my training teaches me that the best defence attacks. Right now we are all sitting ducks and these people are armed to the teeth with weapons of mass destruction.

“They are trying to recolonise us and take over our land. This country with the largest population of black men is being brought to ruin by absolutely useless criminals.

“My prayer is that God Almighty that has given us this land would give us the courage to face up to our enemies, locate where they are and root them out; driving them out of the country otherwise Nigeria is finished.”