Your call to arms shocking, scary, Presidency replies Danjuma

The Presidency, on Saturday, cautioned a former Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Theophilus Danjuma and other elder statesmen making comments capable of inflaming passions and setting the citizenry against the country’s security personnel to be careful.

A statement by Alhaji Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant (Media) to President Muhammadu Buhari, said there would be no country called Nigeria should the citizens rise against “the country’s organised, trained and equipped military.”

Danjuma, during a speech at the convocation ceremony of the Taraba State University in Jalingo, last week, charged Nigerians to defend themselves against killer herdsmen, accusing the armed forces of colluding with the bandits to kill Nigerians.

He specifically warned that a further deterioration of the current security situation could plunge the country on the road to Somalia.

But the presidential spokesperson said such statement from Danjuma was capable of emboldening criminal elements to undermine the authority of elected government.

He, consequently, advised Danjuma and other eminent Nigerians to “use their influence wisely and not continue to engage in public declarations that are likely to inflame emotional passions and threaten national security.”

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“Silence can be dignified, but sometimes it can be misinterpreted and exploited. It is both shocking and scary to hear the recent comments by a senior citizen calling for Nigerians to defend themselves.

“What country would survive if its citizens rise against the country’s organised, trained and equipped military?

“The Presidency is very worried that criminal gangs will feel justified in defying legal governing and democratic institutions, and authority of legitimately elected democratic government if unrestrained pronouncements are made.

“We advise former leaders to take advantage of the various fora where people with a history of national security can offer advice to the government without resorting to the exploitation of emotional sentiments.

“The Presidency wishes to appeal to prominent Nigerians, who have national influence, to use their influence wisely and not continue to engage in public declarations that are likely to inflame emotional passions and threaten National Security.

“The Presidency commends the Nigerian military’s efforts to maintain peace and stability, despite being pulled in various directions by elements determined to destabilise the country and government for their selfish reasons.

The civil war motto: “To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done” rings very timely at this time in our nation’s history. We must be careful to avoid the mess that destroyed other African countries like Somalia,” Shehu said.