The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya has directed all General Officers Commanding (GOCs) and other formation commanders of the Nigerian Army to ensure a conducive and secure atmosphere in their areas of responsibility for the successful conduct of the 2023 elections.
Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, Director, Army Public Relations, in a statement on Tuesday, said Gen. Yahaya handed down the directive while formally flagging off the commencement of Operation Safe Conduct in all Nigerian Army divisions and formations across the country.
According to him, the Army chief reiterated the unwavering resolve of the Nigerian Army to adhere strictly to its constitutional role by supporting the Nigeria Police, which is the lead security agency in the 2023 elections security architecture.
He charged the commanders to identify and dominate flash points in their areas of responsibilities, adding that troops must be alert, proactive and operate jointly with sister services and other security agencies during the elections.
Yahaya, while directing the commanders to deploy requisite logistics to ensure the security and safety of citizens during the elections, urged them to be professional, apolitical and adhere strictly to the extant code of conduct and rules of engagement guiding personnel throughout their operations. He warned that any infraction on the provisions of the code of conduct will not be treated with levity.
The Chief of Army Staff further maintained that all deployments must be joint and in support of the Nigeria Police. He observed that all eyes are on the security agencies and that the citizens expect nothing short of free and fair elections.
“You must, therefore, refrain from hobnobbing with political gladiators and maintain your apolitical stance,” he averred.
Recall that Lt. Gen. Yahya recently approved the Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement for Nigerian Army personnel during Operation Safe Conduct 2023 as part of the effort to safeguard personal liberties and rights of citizens during elections.