Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), on Thursday said terrorists are using motorcycles given to Nigerians as palliatives to wreak havoc across the country.
Musa therefore advised state governors and lawmakers to stop giving motorcycles as palliatives, arguing that some of the motorcycles eventually end up in the hands of terrorists to facilitate and enhance their nefarious activities.
The Minister gave this advice during his appearance as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme.
He said efforts are being made to curb terrorism and the operational challenges confronting the country’s security forces.
Musa said, “We try to appeal to even governors to stop giving motorcycles out as palliatives. Because these motorcycles are the same ones that still end up with these terrorists.
“Even if you have to give, don’t give them the big capacity motorcycles; give them the small capacity ones that they won’t be able to use to run around, because that gives them leverage. They can easily enter and then disappear.”
He further warned that motorcycles distributed through constituency projects and other palliative programmes by lawmakers could find their way back to bandits and terrorists.
“Those bikes… before you know it, they’re already back to the bandits, and that’s what they’re using. So we must stop that,” he said.
Musa said security agencies had identified illegal markets and motor parks as channels through which terrorists move arms and ammunition into areas where they operate.
“What we realise from experience is they establish illegal markets or illicit motor parks. They go to those motor parks; that’s where they move arms and ammunition into those areas,” he added.
The defence minister also called for greater involvement of local governments in tackling insecurity, saying their proximity to communities gives them an advantage in identifying criminals and preventing crime.
He added, “We must allow our local governments to work. Failure of local government is what is aggravating what we’re dealing with, and if we want a better solution, a quick fix, our local governments must work.
“Crime and development are local. If every local government chairman is dealing with criminals within his locality, it’s easier to manage them than leaving it to the state or to the federal.”
Musa said local government chairmen should hold regular security meetings and report developments in their areas.
He further urged state and local authorities to strengthen monitoring of markets, motor parks and other locations through which drugs, weapons and ammunition could be moved.
“If we’re able to make sure that we man all the markets, all the motor parks, all these areas where drugs, weapons, ammunition move, it will make it difficult for them,” the Minister further stated.
