The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, has said that those who seek to undermine the country’s democracy by interfering in the electoral process must be seen as enemies of Nigeria and dealt with appropriately.
The Army chief also said that though the military is mandated to defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity, it is also constitutionally accorded the power to act in aid of civil authority when called upon to do so. Buratai said this at the expanded weekly meeting with principal staff officers at the Army Headquarters Conference Room, Abuja, today.
The Army General called on security agencies, to rise up to the challenge of ensuring a peaceful outcome to the forthcoming election so as to give confidence to Nigerian citizens and to reassure the international community about the nation’s electoral process.
While warning that the Army remains apolitical to ensure that aspersions are not cast on it as a result of the elections, Buratai berated politicians who, he said, incite soldiers to disobedience. While condemning electoral malpractices, Buratai said the Army is taking a proactive approach to stop election crimes such as ballot box snatching and violence.
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