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Tag: military

  • How military plans to intimidate Tinubu, others

    How military plans to intimidate Tinubu, others

    Despite court verdicts against the use of the military in Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections, there are moves to muzzle All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders in Lagos and the Southwest.

    It was gathered that the Army may have directed an “operation ground APC leaders in Lagos on elections day”.

    It was also learnt that Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah will relocate to Lagos on Saturday.

    At the final coordinating conference for the elections last Friday, it was directed that key APC leaders must be prevented by troops from leaving their homes on election day.

    According to the plan, armoured tanks are to be deployed in front of the homes of key leaders, including Governor Babatunde Fashola and APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    The army, it was learnt, mandated a sector commander in Lagos to take charge of the operation to stop Tinubu from leaving his home on election day. Other officers were also assigned to take charge in the houses of other opposition leaders.

    The APC has consistently raised the alarm over the plan by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to witch-hunt its leaders, in addition to either arresting them on the eve of the elections or blocking them in their houses on election day.

    The opposition has argued that the ruling party has the capacity to use the military to influence elections as it did with last year’s governorship election in Ekiti State.

    The activities of the military in the Ekiti elections have come under focus since the release of an audio on the plot to rig the poll, with Brig-Gen. Aliyu Momoh taking instructions from Minister of Police Affairs Jelili Adesiyan, former Minister of State for Defence Musiliu Obanikoro, Senator Iyiola Omisore and then PDP governorship candidate Ayodele Fayose on how to rig the election.        

     

  • No military for polls, says group

    A civil society coalition,OneVOICE, has warned against deployment of soldiers during the general elections.

    It said doing so would go against recent court pronouncements.

    It said if soldiers must be used, they must be restricted to crisis-prone areas.

    “Prof Attahiru Jega should ensure that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is not further blackmailed by the military hierarchy and the National Security Adviser and the Service Chiefs should desist from usurping the constitutional responsibility of the INEC and the Nigeria Police Force,” OneVoice said.

    The group urged Nigerians to ensure that free, fair and credible elections are held to further consolidate democracy.

    OneVOICE members include Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Access to Justice (AJ), New Initiative for Social Development (NISD), Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN), Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), Socio- Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Centre for Constitutionalism and Demilitarisation (CENCOD), Human Rights Law Services (HURILAWS), Independent Advocacy Project (IAP) and Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG).

    Its Media Committee Chair Pastor Deji Adeleye at a briefing and rally at the Dr. Beko Ransom Kuti Memorial Park in Lagos, said the elections any further would be unconstitutional.

    OneVOICE said the distribution of the PVCs is now far above the initial figures before the previous postponement, while the Card Readers have been tested successfully in 12 states across the six geo-political zones.

    The coalition advised that INEC to embark on confidence building measures through daily press briefings and public service announcements, including in local languages, to bridge gaps on electoral preparedness and voting procedures.

    It also urged it to increase voter education efforts to demonstrate to the public the use of new technology such as the PVCs and card readers.

     

     

     

     

  • NEMA, military, other‎s plan ahead of elections

    As the 2015 forthcoming general election is fast approaching, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has assembled major stakeholders to map out blueprint  towards a violence free election exercise in the country.‎
    The present reality and the tension that has so far emanated from the electioneering campaign activities between the political parties that are competing claims to the highest position, the presidency indeed has convincingly suggest the dire need to brace up our collective preparedness towards managing all forms of possible crisis/violence and the likely displacement of innocent Nigerians that could arise from the electoral contest.
    In view of this, NEMA has organized 5-day Simulation exercise on Electoral violence, tagged “INGANTACHEN TSARO” held at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) Jaji, Kaduna.
    The Director General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Sani Sidi who was represented by the agency’s Director of Training Engr. Daniel Gambo at the opening ceremony of the exercise said “the idea is to sharpen responder’s level of preparedness to sharpen their skills to civil crisis whenever the need arises. It involved officials of rescue agencies, the Military, and paramilitary”.
    Also speaking,  the Commandant, AFCSC Jaji, Air Vice Marshall John Ifemeje said the exercise was to train the participants on the planning, preparations and conduct of operations aimed at
    restoring normalcy during elections.
    He however urged the participants to take the training seriously in order to‎ achieve the desired objectives.
  • Falana asks military to vary sentences of convicted soldiers

    Falana asks military to vary sentences of convicted soldiers

    Lagos-based lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has asked the chief of Army staff, as the confirming authority, to vary or confirm  the conviction and sentences passed on the soldiers by the courts-martial.

    Falana, who made the plea in a statement in Lagos yesterday, said owing to the  delay in the confirmation or variation of the conviction and sentences, the soldiers involved have not been able to file their appeal at the Court of Appeal in line with Section 183 of the Armed Forces Act (Cap 20), Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    Section 183 of the Armed Forces Act stipulates that :”Subject to the provisions of this part, an appeal shall lie from decisions of a court-martial to the Court of Appeal with the leave of the Court of Appeal: Provided that an appeal as aforesaid shall lie as of right without the leave of the Court of Appeal from any decision of a court-martial involving sentence of death.”

    Falana also urged the military authorities to discontinue the trial of officers and soldiers and set free the 70 soldiers convicted and sentenced to death for mutiny by two courts-martial, which sat in Abuja last year.

    He argued that since the alleged offence of mutiny arose from the legitimate demand of the convicted soldiers for weapons to fight the Boko Haram sect, the basis of their conviction and sentence could no longer be justified.

    Falana said in  the alternative, the army authorities should conclude the case of the convicted soldiers without any  further delay.

    He argued that this has become necessary “in view of the disclosure by the Federal Government that it has just acquired adequate equipment for the armed forces and invited foreign instructors to train the soldiers on the use of the equipment”. He added that with government’s disclosure, “the officers and soldiers who had consistently demanded for weapons to fight the war have been vindicated”.

    The erudite lawyer noted that 12 of the soldiers were convicted in September  while the 58 others were convicted in December last year.

    He said: “Since then, the army authorities have neither allowed the convicts any access to their family members and lawyers nor compiled and transmitted the record of proceedings of the courts-martial to the Chief of Army Staff for the purpose of confirming or varying the conviction and death sentences imposed on the soldiers.

    “This has delayed the promulgation of the findings and denied the convicts the opportunity to challenge the verdicts of the courts-martial at the Court of Appeal.

    “As if that is not enough, the army authorities have detained the convicts incommunicado in underground cells in a military guardroom in Apapa, Lagos State, instead of committing them to prison as required by the Armed Forces Act.”

    Falana noted that the nation’s troops have carried out successful operations against Boko Haram sect in the last couple of weeks with the support of the multinational force drawn from neighbouring countries.

    Because of the attack, the lawyer said the terrorists have been dislodged from many of the towns and villages in the Northeast region illegally seized and occupied by them since last year. Noting that the war on terror has not been fully won, he added that the armed forces and the Federal Government deserve praise for the success recorded so far in the task of restoring the country’s territorial integrity.

    “With the recent acquisition of vital weapons for the armed forces by the Federal Government, it is undoubtedly clear that the troops have been mobilised and motivated to discharge the constitutional duty of defending Nigeria from the forces of internal insurrection and external aggression,” Falana said.

  • No to military involvement in 2015 elections

    No to military involvement in 2015 elections

    The debate over the deployment of troops for the general elections has refused to go away. It almost snowballed into fisticuffs between Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the House of Representatives. Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI examines the issues involved and their implications for the general elections.  

    The alleged role of the military in the June 21, 2014 Ekiti governorship election has sparked a debate over the legality, desirability or otherwise of deploying troops to keep peace during the general elections. In spite of the recent Court of Appeal judgment against the deployment of troops for elections, indications are that President Goodluck Jonathan might order the deployment of soldiers for the March 28 and April 11 elections. The Court of Appeal, in deciding the Ekiti election petition, ruled that it is illegal to deploy soldiers for election duties. The judgment validated the decision of a Sokoto High Court that the military should play no direct role during elections.

    The military had always been involved in the conduct of elections in one way or the other. But, the testimony of an Army Captain who was part of the Ekiti assignment, Sagir Koli, on how the military was allegedly used to tamper with the process leading to the governorship election has introduced a new dimension to the role of the military in elections. Though the allegation is still being investigated, the revelation has implications for this year’s general elections.

    The fear of the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is that the military may be used to intimidate and arrest leading politicians opposed to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The APC is of the view that the ruling party may take advantage of the increasing insecurity in the country to set the stage for the full involvement of the military during the elections.

    Though the involvement of the military appears inevitable, given the security situation in parts of the country, there is a clamour for their role to be regulated. Aside from the alleged Ekiti rigging plot, the image of the military in Nigeria is not the very best at the moment, because of the role it played in the postponement of the general elections from February 14/February 28 to March 28/April 11, 2015. Service Chiefs were believed to have worked in tandem with the Presidency to get the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to shift the polls.

    This has diminished the little faith Nigerians had in the deployment of troops. Although INEC had its own inadequacies that may have marred the outcome of the election, its chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, had insisted that the commission was ready for the poll. Jega said: “A day before the Council of State meeting, the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) wrote a letter to the Commission, drawing attention to recent developments in four Northeast states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe currently experiencing the challenge of insurgency. The letter stated that security could not be guaranteed during the proposed period in February for the general elections.

    “This advisory was reinforced at the Council of State meeting on Thursday where the NSA and all the Armed Services and Intelligence Chiefs unanimously reiterated that the safety and security of our operations cannot be guaranteed and that the Security Services needed at least six weeks within which to conclude a major military operation against the insurgency in the Northeast…”

    Prior to the Ekiti governorship poll, the Federal Government had deployed troops in 32 of the 36 states of the federation to check ‘security challenges’ or in ‘aid of civil authority.’ As the deployment of troops was spreading, the Nigeria Police, which is constitutionally empowered for internal security, has been missing in action.

    What are the merits for the deployment of troops for election? Following the debate generated over the matter, former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Joseph Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said the idea is in order, as long as it would not be deployed to participate in the election, but to protect sensitive materials used during the exercise.

    His words: “The military are not deployed to participate, however, because there are certain sensitive election materials to be protected, they would be available, especially in this era of Boko Haram. It is their duty to assist in keeping internal security. However, they won’t be at polling booths to whip people into line like the members of the Nigeria Police Force or the Civil Defence Corps. But, they (the military) should be available for immediate deployment.”

    The Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, also backed the call for troops to take charge of security to ensure peace during the elections. Odinkalu is of the view that Nigeria is currently in a state of war, which justifies such action in line with the Geneva Convention Act.

    The Chairman, International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law, Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi, also believes that the role of the military in the sustenance of Nigeria’s fragile democracy, including reduction in poll roguery and brigandage, is commendable. Umeagbalasi said the do-or-die mentality of politicians leaves no room for another alternative. Indeed, he said the military’s security roles during polls in the past three years have drastically reduced violence as well as polls’ rigging. He added: “Over 300 citizens died in the 2011 pre-election violence as against 2015’s 60 recorded deaths till date excluding insurgency war casualties. The military’s security and surveillance of poll materials and personnel in recent times have added credibility to polls’ outcomes/results to the extent that most of the 1, 695 elective public office polls constitutionally conducted by INEC in Nigeria from 2011 were sustained and upheld by various polls’ tribunals in Nigeria.

    “It is also globally established that Nigeria is one of the countries noted in notoriety with turbulent and homicidal polls. Its political parties are recently christened as “most corrupt in the world”. While other social climes see public office polls as quest for aristocratic humanitarian services, political parties and actors/actresses in Nigeria see same as business enterprises and ethno-religious regimentation. In all these, the military appears to be the only neutral third party capable of providing last hope for Nigerians numbering over 170 million.

    “This is why the military institution must be supported by all and sundry at all times. So long as Nigeria’s polls remain turbulent and mercantile, the lives and liberties of Nigerians must be maximally entrusted in the hands of the country’s armed forces at all times without judicial, administrative and political excuses.”

    The heated debate for and against troops-for-poll almost snowballed into fisticuffs between members of the opposition and those of the ruling party in the House of Representatives last week.

    Be that as it may, INEC appears to believe that the military has a role to play in the general election. But, it is of the view that they should be restricted to designated checkpoints, to make sure people do not traffic arms, ammunition or engage in any conduct that could tamper with the electoral process. Due to the prevalence of insecurity in the country, the military has been part of the electioneering process in the last 16 years. But, it assumed an embarrassing proportion in the last 12 years. Before the Ekiti election, troops were restricted largely to highways leading to areas considered volatile, to make sure that arms are not moved from place-to-place during elections. But, they were physically present at polling stations, as well as collation centres during the June 21 polls.

    What does the law say? According to legal practitioners, the deployment of troops in “aid” of civil authority is legal and constitutional. But, such a deployment must be approved or regulated by the National Assembly.

    Observers are now accusing the President of deploying the military illegally to monitor the conduct of elections in the last couple of years. Besides approaching the National Assembly for Emergency Rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, there is no record to show that he has approached the legislature for legal instrument to deploy troops-for-poll in any part of the country. While the illegality persists nationwide, some judges have come out openly to deride the recourse to the abuse of the military for election duties.

    A former President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Umar Abdullahi, JCA (as he then was) in Buhari vs. Obasanjo (2005) I WRN 2000), said: “In spite of non-tolerant nature of our political class in this country, we should by all means try to keep armed personnel of whatever status or nature from being part and parcel of the election process. The civilian authorities should be left to conduct and carry out fully the electoral processes at all levels.

    On his part, another President of the Court of Appeal,  Hon. Justice Ayo Salami, JCA (as he then was) in Yusuf vs. Obasanjo (2005) 18 NWLR Part 956 p.96 said: “It is up to the Police to protect our nascent democracy and not the military, otherwise the democracy might be wittingly or unwittingly militarized.”

    In a courageous pronouncement on Monday, February 16, 2015, Hon. Justice Aboki, JCA, (Chairman, Ekiti State Governorship Election Appeal Tribunal), who was a bit worried by the roles of Armed Forces personnel during the Ekiti State Governorship Election, said: “Even the President of Nigeria has no powers to call on the Nigerian Armed Forces to unleash them on peaceful citizenry who are exercising their franchise to elect their leaders.”

    “In the event of insurrection or insurgency, the call on the Armed Forces to restore order must be with approval of the National Assembly — as provided in sections 217(2) and 218(4 of the Constitution as amended.”

    Until the return to military rule in 1999, the police had always been in charge of providing security during elections. Notwithstanding a few challenges associated with the police during the 1962 crisis in the defunct Western Region and the ex-IGP Sunday Adewusi’s shoot-on-sight order in 1983 general election war between the NPN and the Unity Party of Nigeria, the police had performed fairly well. Most experts are of the opinion that if the police force is well-equipped, it should be able to provide security nationwide. The NPF has 332,756 policemen, 6,693 Traffic Wardens and 11,999 civilian workers in 3,756 police stations nationwide. The only challenge with the force is lack of funds. The Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, who was represented by his deputy in-charge of Logistics and Supplies, Mamman Tsafe told the Senate Committee on Police Affairs in Abuja during the week that out of the N56 billion overhead proposed by the police in 2014, only N8 billion was approved out of which N5 billion was released. He said the force required N24 billion for fuelling and maintaining its vehicles instead of N5 billion proposed. For capital budget, he said that of a proposed N218 billion, N7 billion was approved and only N3 billion was released.

    From the foregoing, the option available to President Jonathan is to approach the National Assembly for an enabling Act to make deployment of troops for election legal. Indeed, the APC, through its Director, Legal of the Presidential Campaign Council, Mr. Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume (SAN), has written a letter to the President on why the judgment of the Federal High Court should be respected to leave troops out of the March 28 and April 11 general election. The letter said in part: “Your Excellency, may I add this: the restraining phrase “… security supervision of elections in any manner whatsoever in any part of Nigeria” is all encompassing including absence of armed forces on the roads and streets on the election days and not discriminatory as to be limited to polling booths, as some may expediently want the public to believe.

    “I, therefore, request Your Excellency, to instruct the Service Chiefs and all relevant State officers to diligently comply with the orders of the Court by ensuring that the Armed Forces are never engaged in the security supervision of the forthcoming elections in any manner and in any part of Nigeria whatsoever. It is the statutory duty of the Nigerian Police Force to carry out this function without having the armed forces instill fear in the citizenry during the elections.”

  • Still on military deployment for polls

    SIR: A major issue dotting our political landscape is whether or not the military should be deployed to provide security at the coming polls. As accusations and counter-accusations continue to trail the proposal, it is pertinent to state that the fact that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has supported the move does not make it right. The courts have even ruled against such move.

    Kindly let us recall the gory past of military excessiveness. For example, a few hours before last year’s month of August Osun governorship election day, over 10,000 battle-ready soldiers were reportedly drafted to mount surveillance on all the roads leading to the state from the boundaries of the neighbouring Ekiti, Ondo, Kwara, Oyo and Ogun states, thereby putting the state under siege. This resulted into untold hardships for the people occasioned by queues of parked vehicles and stretched long distances from various entry points.

    Military deployment is nothing but a subtle invitation for soldiers to supplant democracy. In the past, there had been reported cases of harassment and intimidation of civilians by soldiers.  This is where the Federal Government should be very careful not to give the impression of taking sides and abusing state security outfits, thereby fuelling the age-long fears that the military has been seriously politicised. In the past, soldiers have been accused of intimidating voters during elections. This should not be. Military men are not in anyway superior to the civilians. They are public servants and as such, are expected to respect civil rule and comport themselves in a submissive and dignified manner. They should carry out their duties with utmost patriotism. Nigerians should be watchful and shun violence in the face of any provocation. They should go about their normal business without fear.

    To ensure free and fair coverage in the coming elections, international observers, party agents and civil societies group should be given free hand to monitor election proceedings. The media, being the Fourth Estate of the Realm, should be allowed to perform its societal obligation under a convivial atmosphere as the watchdog in deepening democracy. Openness remains the best way to enthroning democratic credentials. This will involve granting true independence to the electoral body to discharge its duties. The Nigeria Police Force should be better equipped with adequate funds, personnel and requisite training to carry out its statutory functions now being usurped by the army.

    Above all, the politicians should play the game by its rules bearing in mind that nobody gains anything by engaging in do-or-die politicking. Or, is political office no longer an avenue for service delivery? The planned military deployment – in clear defiance of court orders – may eventually not translate into victory for any party because voters this time around would vote for candidates that could positively turn things around for them and make the nation a better place. What should really matter most is the people’s unwavering resolution and strong-will to get the best, which the barrel of gun can never suppress.

    • Adewale Kupoluyi 

    Federal University of Agriculture,

    Abeokuta (FUNAAB),

  • Military: fleeing Boko Haram on rampage

    As the campaign against Boko Haram is intensified, the military is worried that the defeated insurgents are now on the rampage in the North, setting off suicide bombs.

    The military claimed that more children and teenagers, especially female, have been recruited by Boko Haram members for suicide missions.

    It also said some of the explosive devices were allegedly stolen from quarry industries within and outside the country.

    A top defence source, who released a fact-sheet on the latest dimension in the war against Boko Haram, said the insurgents were targeting motor-parks, schools, worship centres and markets.

    The document said: “Following a routing by Nigerian troops in collaboration with forces from neighbouring countries on the platform of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) from most of its operational bases, Boko Haram terrorists have once again reverted to the use of suicide bombers in its evil campaign against Nigeria.

    “A security alert has thus been sounded for Nigerians to be vigilant and on the lookout for potential suicide bombers already brainwashed and probably drugged by the terrorists.

    “Boko Haram members, in their desperation to escape the military onslaught on their camps and their bid to retaliate such offensive, may have resorted to suicide bombings which was their hit-and-run tactic used for some years until 2014.

    “This time around, however, the terrorists have been using children and teenagers, especially female, to perpetrate their nefarious activities on soft targets in some Northern states.

    “Their major mission is to attack soft targets like motor-parks, schools, worship centres, markets, among others, for maximum casualty among the citizens.”

    The Defence source alleged that “some of the explosive devices used for suicide bombing were stolen from quarry industries within and outside the country.”

  • Military uncovers heaps of weapons in Baga, says DHQ

    Military uncovers heaps of weapons in Baga, says DHQ

    The Defence Headquarters yesterday said heaps of weapons have been uncovered by troops in Baga, Borno State barely 24 hours after reclaiming the fishing settlement.

    It also claimed that a soldier was stabbed and another shot at close quarter during the cordon and search going on in the area.

    A statement by the Director of  Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, yesterday said: “Troops engaged in cordon and search in Baga  continue to discover more arms of various background and shapes abandoned in some houses and the surrounding by fleeing terrorists.

    “Heaps of weapons most of which were strange looking or destroyed are still being gathered. Many abandoned or destroyed motorcycles have also been discovered.

    “A soldier was stabbed while another was shot during a close quarter battle which ensued  as troops involved in cordon and search caught up with some of the fleeing terrorists yesterday (Saturday) evening.

    “ A number of individuals who claimed to be residents are also being interrogated in order to ascertain their identity and motive.

    “The group consisting mostly women continued to hail and cheer the troops as they conduct thorough search in the area. Wanting to be sure the group was not working for the terrorists despite the excitement, they had to be placed under watch.

    The cordon and search as well as patrol of the localities continue while the offensive on terrorists is progressing in other areas of the theater of the counter -terrorist campaign.”

  • Military and our democracy

    Military and our democracy

    Assurances by the military that it is set to defend democracy is suspect

    Trying times. These two words best describe the situation with the Nigerian Armed Forces today. The ruling by a Justice Abdul Aboki-led panel of Appeal Court Justices that Mr. Ayodele Fayose’s election was marred by intimidation and harassment by soldiers let  loose by the military authorities has called to question the self-assigned roles that men who bear arms to defend the state now perform in civil matters.

    While ruling on the contention by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that the military presence at the polling units and the streets on the Ekiti governorship election poll date made the exercise unfair and thus lacking in credibility, Justice Aboki said: “The question is that who ordered deployment of military or soldiers in the Ekiti governorship election? Was there any act of insurrection to warrant the call on the military to restore order? And was such deployment in accordance with sections 217 (2)(c) and 218(4) of the constitution?

    “There is nothing before us in the records in answering the posers positively.

    “With this, whoever unleashed soldiers on Ekiti State disturbed the peace of the election on 21st June 2014, acted in flagrant breach of the Constitution, and flouted the provisions of the Electoral Act which required enabling environment by civil authorities in the conduct of elections.”

    We agree with him. And, it remains to be said that, in such circumstances, it cannot be determined who would have won if the polling was free and fair. It could not have been easily determined how the deployment could have affected turnout, especially with the hostile disposition of the security forces to the APC before Election Day. It is gratifying that the APC has decided to challenge the finding of the courts below at the Supreme Court.

    The Appeal Court ruling is instructive against the background of the military’s current overbearing posture in the democratic space. While announcing the postponement of the elections earlier fixed for February 14 and 28, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, had hinged it on a military diktat that the safety of the polling officials could not be guaranteed. The service chiefs had unanimously claimed that they would be in no position to deploy troops for the civic exercise if it was held any time before the new date. It amounts to overruling INEC that has the constitutional responsibility of organising elections. It is to be noted that, while the military has the duty of warding off external aggression and fighting the country’s enemy, the police have the duty of protecting the citizens and only using minimal force in combating electoral crimes.

    It is even more ludicrous that the military, through the Director of Defence Information, Major-Gen. Chris Olukolade, found it necessary to issue a statement pledging a superfluous commitment to defending democracy. In normal times, this should be taken for granted. It is not a favour being done the polity, but a primary responsibility.

    However, the vaguely disguised motive for the statement was betrayed as the military spokesman said: “The Armed Forces of Nigeria is quite conscious of the fact that apart from its primary constitutional role of defending the country from external aggression and internal insurrection, it also has the responsibility of providing support in aid of civil authority such as the need to provide complementary security arrangement to protect our electoral process.”

    In view of the ruling of the Appeal Court on wrongful deployment of troops for electoral purpose, the position of General Olukolade appears a contradiction of its pledge to uphold the Constitution. What the two-star General said in that statement is a disregard of the law of the land and he must be told in clear terms that an insubordinate Armed Forces is an anathema in a democracy.

    It is unfortunate that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, sees nothing wrong in the flagrant disregard for the law, sensibilities and mood of the nation that sending soldiers to usurp the functions of the police would amount to. We call on the President to speak out and let the nation know his mind on this. As the law states, even to put out insurrection in the land or any part thereof, the President would require the approval of the National Assembly to deploy troops. Elections are not wars. Polling is no excuse to militarise the country and turn weapons purchased at great costs to combat insurgents showing surprising strength in 14 local government areas against innocent people who are merely engaged in performing their civic obligation.

  • No, military has learnt little

    IN the light of Captain Sagir Koli’s revelations of the abuse to which the Nigerian military has been subjected, it is surprising that in their reaction to Chief Obasanjo’s denunciation of their role in politics, the military could still lend whatever is left of their credibility to an infamous lie. Reacting to Chief Obasanjo’s claim that President Jonathan postponed the elections in order to use service chiefs to plot tenure extension, the Defence Headquarters said: “…Indeed, he (Obasanjo) needs to be told that by virtue of their better training, exposure, education, assessment and environment, the military personnel of today are already far beyond his level in their appreciation of democracy and it’s indispensability for the stable and prosperous society which Nigerians cherish…The Nigerian military is now better placed to strive for the maintenance of the legacies and ethos of service, valour, subordination to constituted authorities, and non-partisan commitment to duty and fatherland.” This is an infernal lie.

    Chief Obasanjo is not wrong about them. Every Nigerian knows, and the generals themselves know, not to say the Jonathan presidency which orchestrates the partisanship of the military, that the Nigerian military has become brazenly, unwisely and short-sightedly partisan. They were partisan in the Ekiti elections, they were partisan in the Osun polls, and last year they behaved most irresponsibly partisan in attacking the press and subverting the constitution, and are believed to be planning another round of attack on free speech. Their denial of partisanship is false; it is not hidden at all.