Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, has assured the country of the military’s readiness to remain steadfastly devoted to remaining neutral in the upcoming 2023 general elections.
Irabor gave the assurance on Thursday December 8, 2022 as the 61st guest of the Ministerial Media Briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Reiterating its commitment to provide security while assisting the police, Irabor maintained that the military is apolitical.
However, he said security personnel come under pressure through inducements but assured that necessary measures are being put in place to ensure that they obey President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to maintain neutrality.
He said personnel are being trained to be more professional while rules of engagement before, during and after the elections have been codified and distributed to them.
“The rules of engagement before, during, and after the elections have been codified and handed to the personnel, who are also receiving professional training on election duties as well.
“Of course, there will always be pressure from all quarters, wanting to induce security forces, not just the military, the security force and the Police. And that’s what criminal enterprise is all about. That is what something wrong is all about.
“Now, this is why we have ramped up our training in that regard; sensitisation, a lot of engagement across the formations and units are being undertaken. And then, we have articulated the code of conduct for all our personnel, which has been done and distributed.
“So, what should they act on before, during and after the elections? These are being codified in the SOP that has been issued to them. So, it remains the duty of the Commanders to ensure that the directive, as indicated, and the contents of the SOP is adhered to by every personnel in the armed forces”, he said, while urging Nigerians to “cease from worrying” and rather trust and engage others to trust that the military will “keep faith to these directives.”
Explaining the military’s role in the 2023 elections, the CDS noted that it would not spearhead security operations but would only assist the Police.
Irabor also revisited the infamous shooting at the Lekki Toll Gate in 2020, insisting that video evidence exonerated the Nigerian military of “killing its own kits and kin.”
He said, “We are not against the people. So, there’s no way the military will go and shoot people, it’s not possible. We won’t do that and it was not done during ENDSARS.
“But again, if you have a problem with a regime, confine your problem with a regime but not the government. Let’s get it right; there’s a difference between a regime and a government because you are part of the government.
“So, if you now have a few people, who still want to stick to partisanship dealing with the regime, then there is a problem. You don’t bring that into governance. No. And we must understand that so that you don’t end up embroiling the military in those inanities, and it makes no sense. We need to make progress; we need to move forward.”
Irabor also said over 300,000 people have been rescued from the hands of abductors since 2014, while refugees, who fled the northeast due to the insurgency have started to return.
He also said that former insurgents, now being trained, will graduate in February next year, before their reintegration into the society.
