Chief of Army Staff-COAS, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai has ordered military commanders and troops to descend on hoodlums who are looting and destroying various warehouses, public and private properties across the country in search for COVID-19 palliatives.
This is made known by the Army Spokesperson, Colonel Sagir Musa who at a press briefing after the meeting said the COAS made it clear that there must be no room for disloyalty amongst all officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army.
According to him, 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.
Colonel Sagir Musa explained that COAS said the Principal Staff Officers, General Officers Commanding, and Field Commanders Commanders must reiterate to all their subordinates that the Nigerian Army was determined to ensure democratic stability in the country which is the only ingredient for development and progress.
He said Burutai charged the commanders to nip in the bud the trend at all cost, and further directed them to warn their troops on internal security or 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.
The Spokesperson denied that the army masterminded the miscreants involved in the arson, vandalism, and looting of public and private property going on in many cities.
He maintained that during the protests, the Nigeria Army had continued to exercise restraint and applied all the Principles of Internal Security Operations and fully abided by the internationally recognized Rules of Engagement.
Parts of His words were:
“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”.
“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.”
“The events of the past few days in our dear nation 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 in 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”.
Colonel Sagir Musa warned Principal Staff Officers, General Officers Commanding, Field Commanders and other officers and soldiers of the Nigeria Army not to be afraid of the International Criminal Court being threatened against Nigeria Army.