2023: Irabor tasks politicians, supporters on unity, peace, challenges citizens to expose criminals
Amid rising insecurity in the country and fears over safety of lives and properties head of the 2023, general elections, the Chief of Defence Staff(CDS), General Lucky Irabor, on Thursday admonished politicians especially those seeking political offices and their supporters not to set the country on fire with their utterances and actions.
Irabor who handed down the caution at Defence Headquarters(DHQ), also said the military and other security agencies will not stand aside and see those who want to perpetrate violence have their way.
The CDS 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.
The CDS who fielded question by journalists during the Defence bi-weekly media briefing, said it was necessary to emphasise that all hands should be on deck to tackle insecurity. “Nigeria belongs to all of us. We have a duty to ensure that criminals are exposed and dealt with”, he said.
Irabor, who paid a surprise visit at the media briefing by the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Benard Onyeuko who was giving updates of military operations conducted across the country, urged those contesting for positions and appointments to conduct themselves peacefully as men and women of honour 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. He said, “We must desire peace”, adding, “And Nigeria must be peaceful”.
Politicians must contest within the ambit of the law”, he declared.
Continuing, “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.
“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.
”We’re working very closely with the police and we stand ready to give them all the support that is necessary, because going forward, Nigeria must be peaceful that’s what we’re looking forward to”
He commended the media for their contributions to a peaceful nation. Irabor nevetheless 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.
Said he, ”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.
“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.
Responding 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.
Giving 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.
Meanwhile, earlier in the briefing, Gen Onyeuko disclosed that Boko Haram terrorists and their families have continued to surrender to troops in the North East theatre.
According to him, cumulatively a total of 57,004 of Boko Haram terrorists and their families comprising of 12,547 males, 17,027 females and 27,430 children have surrendered.
He also confirmed the return of one of the abducted Chibok girls Mary Dauda, 27 years with her child.
According to him, she was suspected to have escaped from Gara in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno state.
He said troops of operation Hadin Kai also killed 47 terrorists including their top commanders at Gazuwa in Bama Local Government Area of Borno state.
