The Economist editorial concocted by dark forces to destabilize Nigeria – Army

The Nigerian Army on Saturday described as a deliberate falsehood orchestrated by detractors the editorial published by the respected news magazine, The Economist, on the Federal Government and the military efforts at ending the myriad of challenges rocking the country.

The London-based magazine had in the editorial said the President Muhammadu Buhari administration was inept, high-handed, and incapable of tackling the endemic corruption in Nigeria.

It added that Nigeria was collapsing under the threats of Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, and separatist agitations due to the inability of the army and other security agencies to rise up to the challenges.

But in a statement issued by its Director of Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, the army said its exploits in ensuring peace and sustenance of democracy in several parts of the world are widely acclaimed and respected globally.

The force said it remained steadfast, unwavering, and resolute in stamping out terrorism, banditry, and other violent crimes assailing the country and the West African sub-region.

The statement read: “The Nigerian Army has been notified of a recent article published in the online version of the ‘Economist,’ a London-based magazine, titled: ‘Insurgency, Secessionism and Banditry Threaten Nigeria,’ which was ostensibly crafted to denigrate, demonize and destabilize the Nigerian Government.

“The report also contained some unimaginable slurs targeted at the Nigerian Military and the Nigerian Army in particular, to which we would like to respond.

“Even as the real intention of the otherwise respected Economist magazine in publishing such toxic concoctions weaved up as report on Nigerian Government’s response to the multi-faceted security challenges assailing the country is yet to be unraveled, the source of the article is very clear.

READ ALSO: The Economist, in scathing editorial says Buhari govt inept, high-handed, unable to tackle corruption

“It is one of those deliberate falsehood and noxious narratives orchestrated by a network of detractors and coven of dark forces working very hard to adorn the Nigerian Army in an unfitting garb of infamy.

“The vile report which the Economist chose to offer its platform for publication, spared no effort in trying to vilify and rubbish the image, character, and reputational standing of the Nigerian Army, but failed woefully.

“As a professional, hard-fighting, and globally respected institution that has continued to occupy deserved glorious position in the comity of global defence forces, the Nigerian Army is certainly not what the so-called report by the Economist tried to characterize it.

“Even more ludicrous was the embellishments of the said report by the notorious unprofessional media outlets that were quick to republish the obvious falsehood.

“How is it conceivable that an international magazine worth its name and professional reputation would agree to lend its medium for a hatchet job of an article without as much as committing little effort to find out the real truth about the Nigerian Army?

“How is it imaginable that the Nigerian Army that has distinguished itself as a worthy contributor to global peace and security through regional, continental, and international peacekeeping and peace support operations would be characterized as ‘Mighty on paper’?

“How can the Nigerian Army that has restored democracies, brought peace to troubled lands and stabilized the sub-region through the dint of hard work, commitment to duty, discipline, and professionalism be so denigrated?

“Is it the ‘ghost soldiers’ of the Nigerian Army that have weathered the storm of terrorism and insurgency of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West African Province Terrorists (ISWAP) in the North-East part of the country and parts of the Lake Chad region?

“In case the Economist magazine and those who fed it all the lies it published do not know, the Nigerian Army working in a joint environment, has been able to stop ISWAP, a very formidable international terrorist organization in its tracks, in spite of all the obstacles, including arm sale blackouts on its way.

“The Economist and its ilk ought to have known that the Nigerian Army has long distinguished itself as a professional force that does not toy with accountability nor shirk from its statutory responsibility of defending Nigeria from external aggression or internal insurrection.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now