Uyo, Akwa Ibom State – On Tuesday, August 27, Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja reaffirmed that the military would not allow itself to be manipulated by certain interest groups to undermine democratic governance in the country. Lagbaja made this statement in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, during the opening ceremony of the COAS Combined 2nd and 3rd Quarters Conference.
Lagbaja emphasised that the Nigerian Army is committed to preserving the “new prestige” it has carefully built over the past 25 years and will not jeopardise this by disrupting the nation’s democratic governance,’ as reported by Vanguard. He said: “The Nigerian Army will not permit itself to be used to undemocratically propel certain interests to power. “Having borne the brunt of reputational damage from previous military interventions in Nigeria, the Army is determined to preserve the hard-earned prestige it has carefully established over the past 25 years, ensuring the nation remains secure and united.”
COAS speaks on lessons from hardship protests
Commenting on the recent nationwide hunger protest, also known as the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest, Lagbaja described it as a significant wake-up call. He noted that the protest highlighted the potential for food insecurity and hunger to escalate into a major crisis.
He stated: “A significant concern that arose during the recent protest was the demand for the Nigerian Armed Forces to undemocratically intervene in governance. “It’s worth noting that these calls seem to be coming from younger Nigerians who never lived through the extensive military rule in Nigeria or witnessed the determined efforts of the heroes and heroines who fought to establish our current democratic system. “As the Chief of Army Staff, my straightforward response to such calls is, ‘Thanks, but no thanks!’”
The director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, said the terrorists were killed after gunfights, and the operation yielded a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition.
