Tanko Mohammed
As attacks and looting of properties by hoodlums continue, the hierarchy of the Nigeria Army rose from an emergency meeting pledging to remain loyal to the democratic government as well as the unity and indivisibility of the country.
The meeting which was attended General Officers Commanding (GOCs) and Field Commanders on October 26, 2020 at the Army Headquarters in Abuja was presided over by the Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Tukur Buratai
The Army’s pledge of loyalty was apparently designed to give the assurance that the government of Mr Muhammadu Buhari was not threatened as a result of the uprising arising from the protests against police brutality which started on October 8.
Although the protests have been put on hold, but violence and looting continues all over the country without any challenge as the police have withdrawn from the streets having suffered serious image damage as well as properties.
The army denied shooting any protester at the Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020 which has caused a stir within and outside Nigeria. Although the casualty of the shooting was becoming doubtful every day, initial reports say scores of protesters were killed.
The Army resolved to assist the Federal Government to bring an end to insecurity across the country and to prevent miscreants and criminals from hijacking the ENDSARS protest nationwide.
According to Col Sagir Musa, the Acting Director Army Public Relations, the army remains focus and not to be deterred by any local or international threats.
“All Commanders have been directed to intensify joint training with the Nigerian Police and other Sister Security Agencies to enhance interagency collaboration and cooperation.’’
He reported that at the meeting, Buratai made it unambiguously clear that there will be no room for disloyalty amongst all officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army (NA).
He directed that field commanders tell all their subordinates that the army was determined to ensure democratic stability in Nigeria as the only panacea for development and progress.
“The best system of governance is democracy and we must all ensure that Nigeria’s democracy remains stable and steady. We will not allow any force, elements or destabilising agents in or outside our country to set our beloved country on fire,’’ he quoted Buratai as saying.
“We remain resolute in doing everything possible to ensure that subversive elements, detractors and other enemies of this great nation do not achieve their aims and objectives of destabilisation”.
Buratai said that events of the past few days have shown the determination of some unscrupulous individuals and groups to destabilize Nigeria by all means.
“These individuals, groups and other undesirable elements have hijacked the peaceful #ENDSARS protest marches resulting to widespread violence, acts of wanton destruction and looting of public and private properties in many parts of the country.
These acts led to the imposition of curfew in several states of the federation” – he stated.
He also said that right from the onset of the protests, the army has been aware of the grand design by the sponsors of the protests to draw it into the crisis.
“The plan was to embark on massive propaganda to discredit the military and the government so as to set the people against the army once it is called out to aid the civil authorities.
The army being aware of the devilish plan was careful not to be dragged in and issued the initial warning through a press release on 14 October 2020 of our resolve to secure and safeguard a United Nigeria.
“Now the detractors alongside their local and international collaborators have mischievously and deliberately misrepresented troops’ efforts to ensure compliance with the curfew imposed by legitimate civil authorities in Lagos and other states.’’
He said that these agitators were falsely accusing the army of being responsible for the activities of the miscreants despite glaring evidence to the contrary.
“They have continually threatened to report the army to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and also threatened various forms of sanctions against personnel and their families.
“Thankfully however, a large percentage of Nigerians and the international community have started seeing through the smokescreen of falsehood and deliberate misrepresentation of facts being orchestrated by enemies of Nigeria and have retracted their earlier false publications.’’
Despite the plots, he said that the army has continued to exercise restraint, applied all the principles of Internal Security Operations and fully abided by the internationally recognized Rules of Engagement as contained in our published Standard Operating Procedures for Internal Security Operations.
These rules were derived from the International Human Rights Laws and were in accordance with the international principles guiding the use of force, he said.
He used the opportunity to re-emphasize that none of the PSOs, GOCs, Field Commanders and other officers and soldiers of the army should be afraid of the ICC for carrying out their legitimate duties as stated in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.
“They have every right under the Constitution to carry out assigned and legitimate roles of maintaining law and order in aid of civil authorities and other security agencies.’’
He reiterated that anyone who doubts their commitment to their constitutional responsibilities must be made to know that they remain committed, loyal and unwavering in ensuring the unity, stability and security of our dear country Nigeria.
He charged them to show the detractors and other elements of destabilization that they are neither part of them nor in anyway supportive of their activities at all times.
He directed that any act of arson or attempt to kill or maim any military or security personnel and other law abiding civilians must be responded to quickly and decisively.
“In dealing with any security threat, they must fully cooperate with personnel of the Nigerian Police Force and other security agencies and must ensure that everyone is in full compliance with imposed curfews and any other extant security instructions in force”.
He reported that some unscrupulous elements have shown their desire to acquire arms and ammunition at all cost from security personnel.
Buratai said that no less than 10 AK-47 rifles have been lost to these miscreants in the past two weeks across the country with attendant loss of lives of personnel.
He charged Commanders to nip in the bud, the emerging trend at all cost, and directed them to warn their troops on internal security or on guard duties outside the barracks to be at maximum alert at all times and to also deal decisively with any attack on their duty locations.
“There is no choice between a democratically united, strong and prosperous Nigeria and a nation disunited in a state of anarchy and retrogression.
We must all strive for a united, strong, stable and progressive Nigeria”.
Nigeria has begun the reform in the police, including the scraping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS); setting up of judicial panels on police brutality; inauguration of Victims support Fund; and plans to boost welfare of police as well as their salaries.
