The former military head of state Abdulsalami Abubakar has lamented that under President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime, old and young Nigerians are being slaughtered by bandits and other criminals anyhow and everywhere.

“We are facing a very hard time security-wise, where the war front is everywhere, and this is a war without any morality. The old and the young are slaughtered without cause,” stated the ex-military ruler.

 He also warned Nigerian youths to desist from any violence that can break up the country ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Mr Abubakar stated this at the 30th convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Technology in Minna on Wednesday.

He also urged politicians to conduct themselves orderly and avoid abusing youths, making them do what we know is wrong.

“Avoid making our children, grandchildren as vanguards. Avoid abusing them and making them do what we know is wrong,” Mr Abubakar said. “For the youths, please avoid being used to be fronts of disharmony and violence in the country.”

According to the former head of state, Nigeria’s security forces are “overstretched”, and Nigerians need to unite to tackle insurgency and other forms of insecurity.

“Indeed, our security forces are overstretched. So it is left to all of us to join hands in making sure that we provide information where possible so that these insurgents could be chased out of our country,” he further pointed out.

This week, Mr Buhari vowed that Nigerians, especially those in the North-East, would soon be saved from the atrocities of bandits and terrorists ravaging the region.

The president stated this at the inauguration of the Presidential Committee on the Repatriation, Return and Resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North-East, which preceded the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

According to him, the administration is embarking on a revised approach to addressing the 13-year conflict and insurgency in the region and will not relent in efforts towards a return to peace and normalcy.

He said, “At the advent of this administration in 2015, I pledged to Nigerians that I will restore peace in the North-East and return it to the path of development and growth. I remain committed to this promise.”

He added, “I pledge to you that in the coming months, you will begin to witness a shift away from a protracted insurgency to peace-building, stabilisation, and ultimately development in your respective communities as we embark on a revised approach to addressing this conflict- a return to normalcy.”