Over Inciting Comment, Military Reads Riot Act on Mutiny
The High Command of the Nigerian Military has warned that it will not take for granted or condone acts of insurrection and mutiny, by its officers and men.
This was in a reaction to a newspaper publication captioned “Nigeria Needs a Rawlings Now – NDP”.
It was learnt that, Mr. Chidi Chukwuanyi, National Chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP), observed, in the publication on Sunday, that the state of corruption in the country calls for the replication of the Ghanian experience under former President Jerry Rawlings in Nigeria.
But Maj. Gen. John Enenche, while reacting on behalf of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), yesterday maintained, that the NDP Chairman’s statement is targeted at the Nigerian Military.
He described the unguided utterance as inciting and instigative.
Enenche, Coordinator of the Defence Media Operations (DMO), said what Chukwuanyi is calling for is a combination of unpopular acts of insurrection and mutiny, which cannot be taken for granted by the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
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Gen. Enenche, in a statement, said that the Nigerian Military wishes to inform the general public and also remind the Armed Forces personnel that all officers and men of the Nigerian Military, swore to an oath of allegiance to be totally loyal to the civil authority of the country, while also protecting the constitution.
According to him, this translates to unalloyed loyalty to the President Commander in Chief and full subordination to the civil authorities of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Part of the statement reads: “…All officers and men of the Armed Forces of Nigeria are to continue to abide by the constitutional provision, in Section 217 sub section 2 (c) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, “To suppress insurrection and act in aid of civil authorities to restore order”. Any act to the contrary is unconstitutional.
“…All officers and men of the Nigerian Military are further reminded of offences contained in Armed Forces Act CAP A 20, The laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which include among others; Mutiny in Sections 52 and 53, which if committed are punishable.
“I am to further directed to state clearly and unequivocally that the Nigerian Military is a force that is in consonance with all global best practices, and cannot be misguided by any individual or group.
“And for the avoidance of doubt, the Armed Forces of Nigeria is totally loyal to the President Commander-in-Chief, and fully subordinated to the civil authorities of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
