#EndSARS: Buratai Talks Tough On Nigeria’s Unity, Democracy
Warns against disturbing public peace, destruction of assets
Seeks inter-agency cooperation
BY VICTOR OSOWOCHI, ABUJA – The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt General Tukur Yusufu Buratai says the Nigerian Army resolutely 44believes and is determined to ensure democratic stability as the only panacea for development and progress in Nigeria.
General Buratai also assured that the Army will not be distracted by false and unsubstantiated accusations from some quarters aimed at tarnishing its hard earned image of keeping to all the principles of internal security operations and fully abiding by the internationally recognized Rules of Engagement as contained in our published Standard Operating Procedures for Internal Security Operations.
According to him; “The best system of governance is democracy and we must all ensure that Nigeria’s democracy remains stable and steady. We will not allow any force, elements or destabilising agents in or outside our country to set our beloved country on fire”
Speaking after a meeting with Principal Staff Officers (PSOs), General Officers Commanding (GOCs) and Field Commanders at the Army Headquarters in Abuja on Monday, General Buratai said; “We remain resolute in doing everything possible to ensure that subversive elements, detractors and other enemies of this great nation do not achieve their aims and objectives of destabilisation”.
He stated that; “Events of the past few days in our dear nation have shown the determination of some unscrupulous individuals and groups to destabilize Nigeria by all means.
“These individuals, groups and other undesirable elements have hijacked the peaceful #ENDSARS protest marches resulting to widespread violence, acts of wanton destruction and looting of public and private properties in many parts of the country. These acts led to the imposition of curfew in several states of the federation.”
The COAS also said being aware of the grand design by the sponsors of the #EndSARS protests to draw it into the crisis, the Nigerian Army had consciously refrained itself from taking their bait.
“The plan was to embark on massive propaganda to discredit the military and the government so as to set the people against the NA once it is called out to aid the civil authorities. The NA being aware of the devilish plan was careful not to be dragged in and issued the initial warning through a press release on 14 October 2020 of our resolve to secure and safeguard a United Nigeria.
“Now the detractors alongside their local and international collaborators have mischievously and deliberately misrepresented troops’ efforts to ensure compliance with the curfew imposed by legitimate civil authorities in Lagos and other states”, Buratai said.
Maintaining that the agitators are falsely accusing the Army of being responsible for the miscreants’ activities despite glaring evidence to the contrary, General Buratai said: “They have continually threatened to report the NA to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and also threatened various forms of sanctions against personnel and their families.
“Thankfully however, a large percentage of Nigerians and the international community have started seeing through the smokescreen of falsehood and deliberate misrepresentation of facts being orchestrated by enemies of Nigeria and have retracted their earlier false publications.”
However, the Army Chief said having complied with all relevant International Human Rights Laws and in accordance with the international principles guiding the use of force, “none of the PSOs, GOCs, Field Commanders and other officers and soldiers of the NA should be afraid of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for carrying out their legitimate duties as stated in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and other extant laws, rules and regulations of Nigeria.”
