Military warns soldiers against overthrowing Buhari’s govt

The Nigerian Military has warned soldiers against participating in an alleged plot to overthrow the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We also wish to remind all military personnel that it is treasonable to even contemplate this illegality,” army spokesman, Brig.-Gen Onyema Nwachukwu said in a statement on Monday. “The full wrath of the law will be brought to bear on any personnel found to collude with people having such agenda.”

Mr Nwachukwu, while reacting to a statement credited to Robert Clark (SAN) where the latter reportedly called on the current political leadership to hand over power to the military for restructuring, said the military remains loyal to the incumbent administration which has been unable to contain nationwide wanton killings and kidnaps by rampaging terrorists and other criminal elements.

The military advised politicians not to suggest or plan a military takeover as the military high command would not tolerate misguided elements who nurse the inordinate ambition to rule the country outside the ballot box.

“The Nigerian military wishes to dissociate itself from such anti-democratic utterance and position,” the statement issued in Abuja said.

“Let it be stated categorically that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain fully committed to the present administration and all associated democratic institutions.

“We shall continue to remain apolitical, subordinate to the civil authority, firmly loyal to the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, and the 1999 Constitution as Amended.

“We shall continue to discharge our constitutional responsibilities professionally, especially in protecting the country’s democracy, defence of the territorial integrity of the country as well as protection of lives and properties of citizens.

“The current security challenges are not insurmountable as the military, in partnership with other security agencies, are working assiduously to ameliorate the challenge,” it assured.