By Linus Aleke
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), on Thursday, vowed to deal ruthlessly with any political thug that attempts to cause violence, before, during, and after the 2023 general elections, warning politicians to desist from any act that is capable of causing violence or disrupting the election.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor said this while, fielding questions from Defence correspondent at the Defence Media Operation’s bi-weekly media briefing in Abuja.
He said that “we need to have a country first before politicians would seek an elective or appointive position in government”.
He cautioned politicians to play the game by the nation’s extant laws, or have the military and other security agencies to contend with.
General Irabor also pledged to support the lead security agencies charged with providing security during elections to endure that the elections are not only credible, free, and fair but violent and free.
The CDS said: “I would like to thank every one eye of you for the efforts you are making and to please sustain those efforts. Nigeria belongs to us. Now we’re going towards a season that every one of us has been desiring that we have a peaceful election, peaceful electioneering campaigns, and then entering into the elections.
”I am glad Mr. President has told us, in the history of our nation, what the desires are, but please do not think that is just the the the responsibility of government, it is every one of us that will ensure that we have a peaceful electioneering period and the incoming 2023 elections so that every one of us will have a country that we will be proud of.
”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 being 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 are 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 is what we are looking forward to”.
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While answering questions on what the military is doing to fish out bad eggs in its midst, General Irabor said the military has an internal mechanism aimed at identifying unscrupulous elements amongst officers and soldiers.
He said that those already identified are currently undergoing court Marshal in various military formations across the country.
He said they would be made to face the wrath of the law for being internal saboteurs.
