Military has no intention to truncate Nigeria’s democracy, Lagbaja affirms

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, has restated the commitment of the Nigerian military to defend Nigeria’s democracy.

He said the military has come to terms with the country’s choice of democracy as the preferred system of governance.

The COAS said this at a seminar on career planning and management organised by the Army Hadquarters, in Abuja.

Lagbaja charged officers of the Nigerian Army to remain above board in the discharge of their professional duties.

He said: “Permit me to seize this opportunity to reiterate that the Armed Forces of Nigeria, particularly the Nigerian Army has come to terms with the country’s choice of democracy as the preferred system of governance.

“We are therefore agents of democracy and have no desire to truncate it. The Nigerian Army will continue to defend our constitution and not suspend it for whatever reason.

“It is the duty of our elected leaders to lead while the military does its job as enshrined in our constitution. Nigerian Army personnel must therefore remain professional and be above board as they discharge their constitutional duties.”

Also, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Christopher Musa, had last month shortly after he inaugurated the main entrance of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army and Officers Transit Accommodation, at the Division Headquarters in Port Harcourt, assured that the Nigerian military would continue to defend and protect democracy in the country.

His assurance came after some unpatriotic individuals called for a military takeover, like what was obtained recently in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic.

Describing such individuals as enemies of Nigeria, the CDS said the military would go after such individuals and arrest them.