The military has begun an
investigation into an alleged coup plot by its personnel and some politicians.
The
Guardian Nigeria report continues:
Recently,
the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai alerted the public to a
suspicious relationship between some military personnel and politicians. The alarm
has triggered anxiety over a plot by certain quarters to truncate the nation’s
democracy.
At
a press conference in Abuja yesterday, the Director of Defence Information,
Major General John Enenche, alongside the directors of information units of the
Nigerian Army, Air Force and Navy, declared that there was no truth in the
rumour that some officers had planned a coup against the current
administration.
Enenche
said the military was committed to the sustenance of the current democracy and
loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, and that any coup from
any quarter would not have the backing of the armed forces.
The
defence information director enjoined Nigerians not to be afraid of any coup,
saying all levels of military commands were making troops to remain focused and
be conscious of the oath of allegiance they took to protect the constitution of
the country.
Although
Enenche was evasive in confirming that a panel had been set up to probe the
alleged coup plan, his response revealed the move.
“It
was reported that some of our personnel have been exchanging visits for
undisclosed political reasons. What I will tell you here is that we have set
in, as it were for that particular case, an administrative machinery.
“It
will not be good for us at this point to tell you something that may not be
true and to retract it, it will not be healthy for the general public. Let us
allow time and administrative procedures. When you talk about possible
investigation, it takes some little time and I believe we are still within that
little time. So, be patient,” Enenche said.
The
Guardian learnt that the panel was secretly constituted last week by the
military authorities and was given the mandate to interrogate suspicious
officers with a view to ascertaining their levels of culpability or otherwise
in the alleged action.
“We
are not a different world from what is happening all over the whole world. Our
armed forces, the present crop of officers and soldiers, were modelled. We are
in tune with the best international practices of governance, and that’s
democracy, and we are for it.”
Enenche,
who had earlier told journalists that the briefing was aimed at clarifying the
statement credited to the Nigerian Army about relationship between some
civilians and army personnel, said: “Professionally, it is a command’s
responsibility to caution officers and men on routine basis to conform to the
ethics of the military in all ramifications, which include interactions and
exchange of visits among others.
“This
command’s responsibility is exercised right from the highest echelon such as
the office of the Service Chiefs down to the lowest levels of command. Hence,
the caution from the army in this case.”
According
to him, the alarm over romance of some army officers with politicians and
subsequent warning to officers penultimate week by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt
General Tukur Buratai, was not out of place.
Meanwhile,
retired members of the Nigerian Armed Forces under the aegis of Coalition of
Concerned Veterans (CCV) have warned against a coup plot, saying that any
attempt to destabilise democracy would force them back into uniform.
Also,
the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has vowed to use every available means
to resist any coup, saying democracy has come to stay in Nigeria.
The National President of union, Comrade Abdulwaheed Odusile stated this at the NUJ national colloquium on elections, corruption and roadmap to 2019 organized by the Kaduna council, in collaboration with the Pax-Community Partnership Projects (PCPP).
No comments:
Post a Comment