On Tuesday, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, reiterated that the military will not let itself to be utilized by some interest groups to undermine democratic governance in the country.
On Tuesday, Lagbaja declared this in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, during the opening ceremony of the COAS Combined Second and Third Quarters Conference.
While noting that the call for a military takeover came from young Nigerians who had never experienced Nigeria’s extensive military rule, the COAS stated that the Nigerian Army was not willing to lose the “new prestige” it had painstakingly built over the last 25 years by severing the country’s democratic rule.
The COAS described the recent statewide hunger demonstration, also known as the #EndBadgovernanceInNigeria movement, as an eye-opener, saying a key takeaway was that food poverty and hunger in the country may quickly escalate into a disaster.
He stated, “Another significant issue raised during the current demonstration is the request for undemocratic intervention in governance by Nigeria’s Armed Forces. Although one could argue that this was coming from young Nigerians who had never experienced Nigeria’s extensive military rule or the concerted struggle by heroes and heroines of our current democratic dispensation to put the country on its current path, as Chief of Army Staff, my simple response to the call is, ‘Thanks, but no thanks!’
“The Nigerian Army would not allow itself to be exploited in an undemocratic manner to propel particular interests to power. As the army that suffered the most image damage as a result of earlier military operations in Nigeria, the Nigerian Army is unlikely to lose the new prestige it has painstakingly created over the last 25 years, secure and united.”
Lagbaja stated that, in light of the current hunger strike, the Armed Forces would not only prioritize physical security and national defense, but would also address food and social security issues.