The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has again maintained that only peaceful, law-abiding persons have nothing to fear about the forth-coming general elections in the country except those plotting mayhem, chaos and anarchy.
It advised them to either have a rethink or immediately seek elsewhere to hawk their evil schemes otherwise they will have themselves to blame as necessary measures are in place to deter, derail and dislodge them before, during and after the polls.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Musa Danmadami who handed down the stern stance at a bi-weekly briefing of defence correspondents in Abuja said that with the Nigerian Police as lead agency, the Armed Forces of Nigeria will ensure that all willing Nigerian voters fully exercise their democratic rights without let or hindrance during the polls.
He assured that only law-abiding Nigerians will be free to come out and vote and that the combined ruthless machinery of the Armed Forces will deal mercilessly with any acts by merchants of chaos and violence capable of disrupting the successful conduct of the general elections on February 25 and March 11 2023 respectively.
Major General Danmadami further said that for the avoidance of doubt, the military as an institution would remain apolitical in keeping with its constitutional mandate as all its combat-ready personnel nationwide have been placed on red alert, noting that they would not hesitate to deal ruthlessly with acts or actions from any quarters capable of bungling and compromising the integrity and smooth conduct of the elections nationwide.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria is on stand-by for the general elections. There is no cause for concern, the CDS has stated this on several occasions, we will remain apolitical but will deal divisively with any unwanted behaviour. The rules of engagement are there, copies of the code of conduct are being distributed to the troops.
“The Nigeria Police Force is the lead agency in the conduct of elections but the military and other sister security agencies will play supportive roles and we are ready for the supportive roles.
“There is no cause for concern as we speak now, we are conducting various operations in the perceived volatile South-east zone to restore normalcy in the area as we did in the past after which peaceful elections were held. The coming elections will also hold in the area and so also in all the parts of the country”, he said.
Fielding questions at the briefing, the DMO helmsman maintained except where there were a few pockets of insecurity across the country, the military high command had ensured that insurgents no longer held sway in any territory as operations were still being sustained across the country to clear remnants of terrorists, bandits and criminals.
Speaking on the report in Galkogi, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State where a Nigerian Air Force, NAF jet allegedly misfired, killing an undisclosed number of local vigilantes, Major General Danmadami disclosed that the NAF usually carried out intelligence-driven operations “in a professional manner, in line with laid down rules of engagement”.
Major Gen Danmadami stated that between January 12 and 26, troops neutralized 114 terrorists and bandits, rescued 101 kidnapped civilians, recovered 51 AK47 rifles and arrested 115 terrorists, logistics suppliers, suspected vandals, bandits, gunrunners, armed herders and economic saboteurs.
In the Niger Delta region, he said that in the course of joint military operations, troops discovered and destroyed 39 illegal refining sites, 48 cooking ovens, 103 storage tanks, 27 dug-out pits and 33 wooden boats, among other items.
“Cumulatively, within the weeks in focus troops discovered as destroyed 39 illegal refining sites, 48 cooking ovens, 103 storage tanks, 27 dugout pits and 33 wooden boats. Troops also recovered 1 tug boat, 1 barge, 3 pumping machines, 3 speed boats and 13 vehicles. Additionally, troops recovered 274,000 litres of crude oil, 71,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, 15 Ak47 rifles, while 40 suspected economic saboteurs were arrested.
“It is worth mentioning that the sum of One Hundred and Twenty-Five Million Three Hundred Ninety-Nine Thousand Four Hundred and Sixty Naira (N125, 399,460.00) only were denied oil thieves,” he stated.
