IN what looks like a strong alarm, the Chief of Army staff Lt General Tukur Buratai has warned all serving officers and men to stay off partisan politics.
Although no mention of coup or arrests was made by the Army Chief, it is obvious that the General was reacting to strong intelligence leading to this warning to those who might want to allow themselves to be lured by partisan politicians who may wish to distabilize the government of his commander in chief President Mohammed Buhari.
Relaying the stern warning of the Chief the Army spokesman Sani Usman a brigadier general said that his boss has received information that some individuals have been approaching some officers and soldiers for undisclosed political reasons.
“On the basis of that, he has warned such persons to desist from these acts.” Which could lure them into any wrong against their fatherland because that was the precedent set by previous plotters, whether from the Palace of the red necks or the reactionary junior officers.
The Army Chief also reminded them that the Nigerian Army is a thorough professional, disciplined, loyal and apolitical institution that has clear Constitutional roles and responsibilities.
“Therefore, he seriously warned and advised all officers and soldiers interested in politics, to resign their commission or apply for voluntary discharge forthwith.
“Any officer or soldier of Nigerian Army found to be hobnobbing with such elements or engaged in unprofessional conducts such as politicking would have himself or herself to blame.” Said the strongly warded release from the Army Spokesman.
The release further reiterated that the Nigerian Army will remain apolitical and respect the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Its being eighteen years that the military stayed off straying into politics which had plunged both the Army and the Airforce into a dangerously low level of professionalism such that young people looked up to political positions by joining the NDA, the nation’s premier military university.
The foray into politics especially during the era of general Sani Abacha was the worse era in the history of the institution because the Army was brought to disrepute especially when one Major Mustapha was said to have been controlling the slaughter machine of the late general who wasted lots of Nigerian lives.
Abacha was equally about giving the order for the execution of the last set of so called treasonable Guinea pigs which included chief Olusegun Obasanjo before he bowed to the power of death in a very inglorious and un celebrated manner.
Since then General Abdulsalami Abubakar who took over the reigns of authority with the demise of Abacha and his predecessor Chief Olusegun Obasanjo vowed to return the military outfit to its level of professionalism.
That vow has been kept till the present dispensation of Chief Tukur Buratai who has reversed the odium around the army and have exposed the officers and men to the highest level of professionalism never seen in the history of the country.
and then