Don’t Involve Military In Politics, DHQ Warns Politicians

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has frowned at politicians who it said are head-bent on dragging the military’s image in the mud, all in a bid to bring down the government of the day.

“It is rather disappointing that some politicians are yet to understand the need to separate sensitive national security issues from their zealous political activities. It is, to say the least, very unbecoming of any political party to drag the name and office of a serving Chief of Defence Staff into their political campaigns.

“This tendency is divisive and aimed at killing the morale and cohesion in the nation’s Armed Forces. Those, who are so desperate to drag the military into political campaigns, should realise that no political party or politician should hope to benefit from any effort to destroy the fabric of the nation’s military.

“The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and by extension the entire personnel of the Nigerian Military do not belong to or work for any political party; rather they work for the overall interest of the nation.

“The DHQ, therefore, urge politicians to always know when and where to draw the lines and keep the military out of their political machinations,” Director, Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, said in a statement on Wednesday.

He stressed: “the Defence Headquarters views with strong exception the political campaign advert by a political party, which is currently airing on several television channels targeting the person and office of Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, for denigration.

“In the said advert, vile references were made about the Chief’s leadership of the ongoing counter terrorism operation in some parts of the country.

“The advert is simply typical of the now very common use of the print, electronic and social media to propagate the campaign of attacking or ridiculing the Nigerian Armed Forces, all with the intention of scoring political points.”

Olukolade lamented that the issues raised in the so-called political advert have already been clarified a couple of times by the DHQ and efforts were currently being channelled towards effective prosecution of the fight against terror with a view to reversing the situation in the areas where the terrorists are showing presence.