Politics
Nigeria’s democracy under threat —Buratai
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Wednesday said that Nigeria’s democracy and existence are under threat.
According to him, this is due to violence in some sections of the country.
He also said that it was not possible for any army to have enough equipment for its operations.
He said this during the 2018 Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference in Maiduguri themed “Optimising the operational efficiency of the Nigerian Army towards safeguarding democracy and national security in Nigeria.”
He said, “Internally, there has been violence in some sections of the country, which constitutes security threats to Nigeria’s democracy and existence. The causes of the crises are often for ideological, economic, political, religious and ethnic reasons.”
Buratai however said that Operation Safe Conduct would be conducted in the country by the army to ensure free and fair elections in 2019.
He added that soldiers must remain non-partisan during the 2019 general elections.
After the recent Boko Haram attack on an army base in Metele, Borno State, where several Nigerian soldiers were massacred, there have being heightened attacks on top officials of the army.
The attacks and call for the sack of the service chiefs followed claim in a video supposedly released by soldiers who survived the attack, alleging that they are ill equipped and have been fighting against the terrorists with outdated weapons.
READ ALSO : Boko Haram fight is a must win war, remain focused, Buhari charges Army
But speaking on the terrorists attacks he said, “The fight against Boko Haram in the North-East will continue unabatedly. The army is collaborating with Chad and Cameroon, and we are currently conducting joint operations in adjoining areas.
“No army can have enough equipment to conduct its operations. So it is incumbent on all commanders to know that we are involved in an asymmetric warfare which calls for dynamism and flexibility.”
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