Nigerian Military Rejects Call To Take Over Power, Pledges Loyalty To Buhari’s Government

The Nigerian Army has declared loyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari after a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Robert Clark, called on current political leadership to hand over power to the military for the purpose of restructuring.

The Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu stated this in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

Nwachukwu dissociated the military from statement credited to Clark which it described as “anti-democratic” and said it remains loyal to the current administration.

The Army also pledged loyalty to the Nigerian Constitution, warning politicians and soldiers against plotting any military coup in the country.

“The attention of the military high command has been drawn to a statement purported to have been made by one Robert Clark SAN, suggesting that current political leadership should hand over power to the military for the purpose of restructuring,” the statement reads.

“The Nigerian Military wishes to dissociate itself from such anti-democratic utterance and position. “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 Military High Command wishes to use this opportunity to warn misguided politicians who nurse the inordinate ambition to rule this country outside the ballot box to banish such thoughts as the military under the current leadership remain resolute in the defence of Nigeria’s democracy and its growth.

“We also wish to remind all military personnel that it is treason to even contemplate this illegality. The full wrath of the law will be brought to bear on any personnel found to collude with people having such agenda.

“The current security challenges are not insurmountable. The Armed Forces of Nigeria in partnership with other security agencies are working assiduously to ameliorate the challenge. Nigeria will know peace again. Please be warned!”

KanyiDaily recalls that the DSS had earlier warned Buhari’s critics, saying they are throwing Nigeria into anarchy and disintegration with their utterances.