Buhari orders military authorities to flush out criminals from system

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday ordered the military authorities to flush out all elements in the armed forces with criminal tendencies.

The president gave the directive in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in Abuja.

He was reacting to the murder of a Yobe State-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Goni Aisami, in the state.

The state police command had earlier on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of two soldiers in connection with the cleric’s murder.

Police alleged that Aisami was murdered by one of the soldiers he offered a lift.

In his reaction, Buhari condemned the unprovoked and cold-blooded murder of the cleric.

He said: “This barbaric murder of a compassionate man by a soldier he had assisted has no place in our training as soldiers.

“It negates the entire ethos of military life which is anchored on discipline and respect for the sanctity of innocent lives.

READ ALSO: Buhari orders military to get rid of terrorists, others

“As the Commander-in- Chief, I am personally outraged by this criminal and wicked act by a law enforcement official trained to protect life.

“By our training, we are guided by a code of conduct that frowns at this kind of reckless and criminal act. It is not in our character and training to put innocent citizens in harm’s way.

”Of course, the action of this soldier is an isolated incident involving an individual, but it is capable of staining the collective image of our military.

“This incident is capable of making our fellow citizens to be fearful of assisting soldiers, thereby destroying the bond of trust between our military and the civilians.”

The president, therefore, called on the military authorities to punish the perpetrators of this heinous crime without delay, and flush out other elements with such criminal tendencies.

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