The Nigerian Army on Tuesday again asked its officers and soldiers not to be involved in political activities during the 2019 campaigns and elections.
The army said none of its personnel should be involved in political campaigns, escort of Very Important Personalities for political missions and aiding or supporting any political party.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Col Sagir Musa, stated this in a statement while reacting to allegations that a yet-to-be-identified military officer was involved in politics in Rivers State.
Musa said the army investigated and found the allegation not to be true.
The army’s spokesman noted that the military had made “it sufficiently and consistently clear that none of its personnel will be involved in political campaigns in several official circulars and statements.”
Musa said, “Our rules of engagement and code of conduct have not assigned any political role to the army in this regard. The army’s involvement in the elections starts and ends with the provision of peaceful and secure environment for the conduct of the 2019 General Elections.
“The army strongly believes the citizens have complementary constitutional roles to play, especially towards ensuring national security, information management, peace and safety of Nigerians.
“None of our personnel will be involved in political campaigns, escort of VIPs for political missions and, above all, aiding or supporting any political party as has been circulated in official circulars and statements.”
Musa added that the Chief of the Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Tukur Buratai, had ordered all personnel to uphold the tenets of military professionalism and be guided by the rules of engagement and the Constitution of Nigeria during and after the elections.
In another development, the Nigerian Army in the Niger Delta has reiterated its determination, in collaboration with other security agencies, to deal ruthlessly and decisively with anyone that disrupts the electoral process under any guise.
A statement signed by the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Aminu Iliyasu, and made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, said intelligence available to the Headquarters, 6 Division, Nigerian Army based in Port Harcourt, had revealed an unholy plan by some political actors within the area.
The statement added that the aim of the plan was to arm and sponsor miscreants to cause pandemonium at polling stations for their political gain.
“While covert efforts are ongoing to track the source of the weapons, authorities of 6 Division NA wish to unequivocally state that anyone found to be disrupting the electoral process under any guise will be decisively dealt with in accordance with the laws no matter how highly placed he or she is.”