Nigerian military reacts to call for mutiny by opposition party

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters on Monday frowned at the coup call by the national chairman of National Democratic Party, Chidi Chukwuanyi.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, expressed displeasure over the call while reacting to a newspaper publication by Chukwuanyi captioned “Nigeria Needs a Rawlings Now – NDP”. The party chairman had been quoted as saying: “The state of corruption in the country calls for the replication of the Ghanaian experience under former President Jerry Rawlings in Nigeria”.

Major General John Enenche in reaction to the publication said: “Unguided utterance targeted at the Nigerian Military is inciting and instigative. What Chidi Chukwuanyi is calling for is a combination of unpopular acts of insurrection and mutiny, which cannot be taken for granted by the Armed Forces of Nigeria,”

Consequently, Enenche said he was directed by the High Command of the Nigerian Military to let the general public know and remind personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria;

“That all officers and men of the Nigerian Military swore to an oath of allegiance to be totally loyal to the civil authority of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and protect the constitution.

“That all officers and men of the Armed Forces of Nigeria are to continue to abide by the constitutional provision, in Section 217 sub section 2 (c) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, “To suppress insurrection and act in aid of civil authorities to restore order”. Any act to the contrary is unconstitutional.

“That all officers and men of the Nigerian Military are further reminded of offences contained in Armed Forces Act CAP A 20, The laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which include among others; Mutiny in Sections 52 and 53, which if committed are punishable

He therefore reaffirmed the loyalty of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to the President and “fully subordinated to the civil authorities of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he stated.