Ahead of the 2023, general elections, the Defence Headquarters(DHQ), has warned politicians especially those seeking political offices and their supporters not to set the country on fire with their utterances and actions.
The DHQ, has also warned political thugs and miscreants who are planning to cause havoc with their activities during the 2023 general elections to have a rethink or have themselves to blame.
Chief of Defence Staff(CDS), General Irabor, who gave the warning at the Defence Headquarters bi-weekly media briefing, said the military would no longer fold its hands to watch miscreants, political thugs and unpatriotic politicians set the country on fire.
Irabor, who joined the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Benard Onyeuko at the briefing on the updates of military operations conducted across the country held in Abuja, advised those contesting for positions and appointments to conduct themselves peacefully as men and women of honor as there would be no position to aspire for if the country is set on fire. He said any political thug caught before, during and after the electioneering processes would be severely dealt with.
The CDS who appealed for peace to reign as the nation goes into another major election, said “If we don’t have a country, then, there will be no appointive positions to aspire for. So, the most important thing regarding this election that is coming, is that we must be men and women that conduct ourselves peacefully, and I need you, members of the press to drive this message to everyone.
”For anyone who is looking forward to be elected, he must do it within the ambit of the provisions of the law, because we will not in any way, stand aside and see those who perpetrate violence all because they are looking for political offices, appointive offices.
Continuing, Irabor said “Nigeria remains a nation that must live in peace, desire to live in peace, and Nigerians deserve to live in peace. And so, we will not allow criminals amongst those or if it is like thugs that might have made themselves available for anyone to use, we will not allow it.
necessary, because going forward, Nigeria must be peaceful that’s what we’re looking forward to”.
The CDS, who commended the media for their contributions to a peaceful nation, appealed to the media to continue to educate Nigerians on the need to trust the military with actionable information in the dealing with security challenges, as issues of insecurity does not only rest with the military and security agencies.
He said “Nigeria belongs to everyone of us and we have a duty to contribute in one way or the other in ensuring that criminals amongst us are exposed and dealt with.
”I’d like to thank everyone of you for the efforts you’re making, and to please sustain those efforts. Nigeria belongs to us. Now we’re going towards a season that everyone of us has been desiring that we have a peaceful election, peaceful electioneering campaigns and then entering into the elections.
He said “I’m glad Mr. President has told us, in the history of our nation, what the desires are, but please do not think that is just responsibility of government, it is everyone of us that will ensure that we have a peaceful electioneering period and the incoming 2023 elections, so that everyone of us will have a country that we will be proud of.
Speaking on conspiracy by some military personnel with kidnappers, bandits, terrorists and other criminals elements to jeopardize military operations, the CDS told journalist that several personnel of the three armed forces caught in the acts are currently facing various court martial in different units formations across the country.
Irabor, who assured that the accused personnel would be made to face the full wrath of law for being internal saboteurs with the military, however refused to disclose the number of officers undergoing court martial.
On the update of the recent attack on a Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State the CDS, said that efforts are in top gear to arrest perpetrators of the dastardly acts and bring them to Justice.
