Insecurity: We Are All Victims, Says Defence Minister

Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has urged Nigerians to support security agencies in the fight against insecurity, stressing that security personnel are also victims of the country’s security challenges.

Speaking at the June 12 edition of The Platform aired on Channels Television on Friday, the minister said the military and other security agencies continue to make significant sacrifices in protecting the country.

“The security forces are not the enemies of the state. In fact, what I always say is that we are all victims,” he said.

Reflecting on his experience as a former theatre commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Badaru described the emotional burden of meeting families of fallen soldiers and personnel injured in the line of duty.

“The worst thing that could ever happen to you is having to meet the families of those who have passed on… or to see those ones that have been amputated because the vehicles they were riding went through Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs),” he said.

The minister appealed for greater public cooperation, noting that the fight against insecurity can only succeed when citizens work closely with government institutions and security agencies.

“As long as these individuals are sacrificing themselves, we have a country to protect. We must honour them, we must support them, we must give them everything that will keep them going,” he added.

He expressed confidence that stronger collaboration between citizens and security agencies would improve efforts to tackle insecurity across the country.