Defence Minister warns protesters against undermining national security

The Minister of Defence, Maj Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd), has cautioned #ENDSARS protesters against breaching national security.

General Magashi gave the caution when the National Coordinator of Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO), Danladi Pasali, led the executive members of the group from its headquarters, zonal and state levels on courtesy visit to him at the Ministry of Defence, Ship House, Abuja.

He extoled the virtues of President Muhammadu Buhari whom he described as a forthright leader and thanked members of the organisation for promoting his political ideology, democratic governance, rule of law and philosophy.

The Minister who told the group of his pioneering membership of the BCO which dates back to the years of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) told them to fortify their flanks and ranks against subversive penetration of mischief makers capable of causing distraction, disaffection  and division among them.

He assured them of the support of the Ministry of Defence in actualising their lofty programmes in raising the bar of national security.

He said they should leverage on their structure in the 774 local council areas and 36 states of the federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory to gather intelligence and channel it to the appropriate authorities for action.

Earlier, the National Coordinator of the organisation, Pasali, said the objective of the courtesy call was to congratulate the Minister on his one year in office and to thank him for emplacing what he called gigantic reforms in the Military.

While thanking General Magashi for his focused leadership in contributing to the national peace and security, they offered to render service to the relevant authorities to burst crimes capable of threatening peace and security in the country.

The National Coordinator who recalled the dogged and dedicated role played by the group in the electoral victories of Buhari in the 2011 and 2019 presidential elections said the organisation is spurred to establish National/Community Support Security Initiative to key into the fight against Boko Haram terrorists in the North East, banditry in the North Central and kidnapping in the Niger Delta.

He therefore solicited the backing of the ministry for the initiative to succeed towards contributing their quota to the maintenance of peace, security and socio-economic development of the country.