BY LINUS CHIBUIKE
The Nigerian military has warned soldiers against contemplating military coup in Nigeria.
It said that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remained fully committed to the present administration and all associated democratic institutions.
While warning soldiers that it was treasonable to even contemplate a coup, which it described as an illegality, the DHQ said, “We shall continue to remain apolitical, subordinate to the Civil Authority, firmly loyal to the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Mohammadu Buhari and the 1999 Constitution as Amended.”
These were highlighted in a statement by the its spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, in reaction to a statement by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Robert Clark, calling for the handing over of power to the military.
The Defence Headquarters warned those it described as misguided politicians nursing the inordinate ambition to rule Nigeria outside the ballot box to banish such thoughts, saying the military, under the current leadership, remained resolute in the Defence of Nigeria’s Democracy.
“The full wrath of the law will be brought to bear on any personnel found to collude with people having such agenda,” it declared.
Read the full text:
“The attention of the military high command has been drawn to a statement purported to have been made by one Robert Clark SAN, suggesting that current political leadership should hand over power to the military for the purpose of restructuring.
“The Nigerian Military wish to dissociate itself from such anti-democratic utterance and position. Let it be stated categorically that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain fully committed to the present Administration and all associated democratic institutions.
“We shall continue to remain apolitical, subordinate to the Civil Authority, firmly loyal to the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Mohammadu Buhari and the 1999 Constitution as Amended.
“We shall continue to discharge our constitutional responsibilities professionally, especially in protecting the country’s democracy, defence of the territorial integrity of the country as well as protection of lives and properties of citizens.
“The Military High Command wishes to use this opportunity to warn misguided politicians who nurse the inordinate ambition to rule this country outside the ballot box to banish such thoughts as the military under the current leadership remain resolute in the Defence of Nigeria’s Democracy and its growth.
“The full wrath of the law will be brought to bear on any personnel found to collude with people having such agenda. The current security challenges are not insurmountable. The Armed Forces of Nigeria in partnership with other other security Agencies are working assiduously to ameliorate the challenge. Nigeria will know peace again. PLEASE BE WARNED!”
