The Director of Defence Information, Major General John Enenche, alongside the directors of information units of the Nigerian Army, Air Force and Navy, has 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.
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Politics