The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, has assured Nigerians that the Army will not succumb to calls by some powerful interest blocs to disrupt democratic governance in the country.
Lt-Gen Lagbaja disclosed this on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, in his opening remarks at the 2024 Chief of Army Staff combined second and third quarters conference held in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital.
According to him, the Nigerian Army is not prepared to lose the reputation it has earned during the previous 25 years of being in power since it is still working to rebuild its integrity after many years of military rule.
The COAS, who spoke against the backdrop of calls by some persons for military intervention during the August 1 to 10 #EndbadGovernance protest, pledged to ensure that the Army works for a united and secure country.
“Another pertinent issue that came up during the recent protest is the call for undemocratic intervention in governance by the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
“Although one can say this was coming from young Nigerians who never experienced the era of Nigeria’s extensive military rule and the concerted struggle by heroes and heroines of our current democratic dispensation to get the Nation on its current path.
“As Chief of Army Staff, my simple response to the call is, ‘Thanks, but no thanks!’ The Nigerian Army will not allow itself to be used to undemocratically sail some interests to power.
“The Nigerian Army is not poised to lose the new prestige it has painstakingly built in the past 25 years,” Lagbaja said, adding that it was the Service that suffered the most as a result of earlier military interventions in Nigeria.
He said that the Nigerian Army was prepared to tackle the problem of the food crisis, which might lead to physical security difficulties, in addition to fighting physical insecurity caused by terrorism, banditry, theft of crude oil, and other crimes.
To this end, Lagbaja revealed that the Nigerian Army as a way of ensuring food security, was embarking on massive food production in partnership with the government and the private sector.
