The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has said that the era of financial recklessness in the Nigerian Army was over as he has blocked all leakages to ensure judicious utilisation of scare resources.
He made this known at a two-day workshop on “Compliance with Assets Declaration and Code of Conduct for Nigerian Army Officers and Soldiers,” organised in conjunction with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), in Abuja.
Buratai warned that officers in charge of any responsibility must declare their assets, in line with the CCB, to stem corruption. He urged participants to take the workshop seriously to enable them impart the knowledge to personnel under them. He promised to always reward officers who distinguished themselves in the discharge of their duties especially in the area of financial prudence.
“Every personnel with the Nigerian Army entrusted with leadership responsibility must understand the primacy of asset declaration and code of conduct for public officers and comply with all its provision and requirements.
“This is so because accountability is a prerequisite for driving the fight against corruption, which is one of the major focus of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
“It is gratifying to note that one of the main objectives of this workshop is to educate and sensitise officers and men of the Nigerian Army on asset declaration and code of conduct for public officers as well as the consequences of noncompliance.
“As members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, strict compliance with the code of conduct is a constitutional responsibility that must be respected.
“I am optimistic that, with the two-day workshop, all participants would have acquired knowledge and be better informed about asset declaration and other requirements of the code of conduct bureau.
“Since my assumption as the Chief of Army Staff, I have always pursued a system that emphasizes judicious utilisation of scarce resources to optimise value for money.
“Undeniably, the Nigerian Army has fully complied with the requirements for the Public Bureau. Thus, it has in-house transparency and prudence in financial management.
“We established the Nigerian Army Directorate of Financial Management as part of our commitment to the principles of accountability, prudence and probity in the management of our financial resources.”
CCB chairman, Mohammed Isa, represented by Sam Ogundare, said the training would instil financial and moral discipline in officers. He added that the training would be extended to all public institutions.
“We are here to carry out a campaign of ethical purity. CCB is charged with the responsibility of establishing and maintaining high level of public morality in the conduct of government business. It is to ensure that officers in their behaviour comply with all that is required in terms of accountability.”
Lekki shooting: Count us out –Army
The 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lagos, has exonerated its personnel from the shooting of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at Lekki on October 20.
The division said its troops were invited to enforce the curfew imposed on the state by the Lagos State Government and restore law and order 24 hours after the curfew was declared, but maintained that it’s personnel acted within “the confines of the rules of engagement for internal security operations.”
Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, in charge of 81 Division, Major Osoba Olaniyi, made this known in a statement on the alleged massacre of protesters at Lekki toll gate, described the allegations as untrue, stressing that at no time did the soldiers fire at the protesters.
According to him, “The attention of Headquarters, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, has been drawn to a viral video on social media in which it was alleged that civilian protesters were massacred by soldiers at Lekki toll plaza.
“This allegation is untrue, unfounded and aimed at causing anarchy in the country. At no time did soldiers of the Nigerian Army open fire on any civilian.
“From the onset of the EndSARS protest, there was no time personnel of 81 Division Nigerian Army Lagos, were involved.”
Protest: Army holds peace meeting for Yoruba, Hausa communities in Fagba
The Commander, 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Major-General Mohammed Etsu-Ndagi, has organized a peace meeting between the Yoruba and Hausa communities in Ifako-Ijaiye/Ojokoro areas of Lagos State. The meeting was organized by the brigade to douse the tension associated with the #EndSARS protest that engulfed the peaceful community.
Speaking to the leaders of the group, Ndagi, represented by Colonel Ibrahim Umar, said the meeting was part of the brigade’s civic engagement initiatives to promote peace among Nigerians, and appealed to the people to live in peace.
He warned troublemakers and their likes to desist from causing unrest, as government would not hesitate to deal with them in accordance with the law even as he sympathised with those who lost their loved ones and valuables during the violence.
In his remarks, the chairman of Ifako/Ijaiye Local Government, Apostle Oloruntoba Oke, and his Ojokoro Local Council Development Area counterpart, Hakeem Tijani, commended the youth of the town for protecting government assets during the crisis. He also commended the army for the meeting, which he said was organised to educate the leaders on the need for the residents to live peacefully.
Also speaking, the Sarkin Fulani of the Abattoir Hausa Community, Alhaji Al-Amin Bashir, while thanking the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and community leaders for stopping violence in the areas, said the Hausa community was committed to peaceful co-existence with their Yoruba neighbours.
#EndSARS: 10 AK-47 rifles missing –COAS
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has disclosed that over 10 AK-47 rifles were missing as a result of the #EndSARS protest across the country, an act he described as unacceptable. He said this during a meeting with Principal Staff Officers (PSOs), General Officers Command in (GOCs) and Field Commanders.
He charged them to heavily clamp down on hoodlums and thugs who hijacked the protests to unleash mayhem on soldiers and innocent civilians.
He urged the officers not to be deterred by threats by some Nigerians and enemies of the country to report the service to the International Criminal Court (ICC), stressing that the territorial integrity of the country would be guarded from external forces.
After the meeting in Abuja, acting director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sagir Musa, maintained that the Army would join forces with the police to restore peace and order: “The recent activities by unscrupulous elements have shown their desire to acquire arms and ammunition at all cost from security personnel.
“No less than 10 AK-47 rifles were lost to these miscreants across the country, with attendant loss of lives of personnel.
“He (Buratai) charged commanders to nip in the bud this emerging trend at all cost, and directed them to warn their troops on internal security or on guard duties outside the barracks to be at maximum alert at all times and to also deal decisively with any attack on their duty locations.
“There is no choice between a democratically united, strong and prosperous Nigeria and a nation disunited in a state of anarchy and retrogression. We must all strive for a united, strong, stable and progressive Nigeria.
“The PSOs, GOCs, field commanders, other officers and soldiers of the NA should not be afraid of the ICC for carrying out their legitimate duties as stated in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and other extant laws, rules and regulations of Nigeria.
“Anyone who doubts their commitment to their constitutional responsibilities must be made to know that they remain committed, loyal and unwavering in ensuring the unity, stability and security of our dear country Nigeria.
“He charged them to show the detractors and other elements of destabilisation that they are neither part of them nor in anyway supportive of their activities at all times. Any act of arson or attempt to kill or maim any military or security personnel and other law abiding civilians must be responded to quickly and decisively.”