President Muhammadu Buhari has in a poignant confirmation of the existence of criminals within the military, directed the authorities to flush them out to avoid further damage to the defence institution.

The president gave the directive in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja by his media aide, Malam Garba Shehu while reacting to the cold-blooded murder of a Yobe State-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Goni Aisami.

Aisami was murdered by a callous soldier he had offered a lift as confirmed by the Police.

Reacting to the incident on Tuesday, Buhari condemned the unprovoked and cold-blooded murder of the Islamic cleric, saying:

”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.

”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. He condoled with Yobe Government, people of the State and family of the victim.