Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL has challenged the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai to fish out military officers alleged to be hobnobbing with politicians ostensibly to overthrow the present democratically elected government.
Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, on Friday in a statement warned that the issue must be nipped in the bud with immediate alacrity because of the grievous consequence a coup portended for a democratic Nigeria.
“The suspected military officers must be immediately identified, investigated and punished according to extant laws if found culpable to protect the subsisting democratic and the rule of law,” he said
“Nigeria cannot afford to repeat history by tolerating military rule again, even for a second! Military rule belongs the past, it’s dead, and buried.
“Democracy didn’t just come on a platter of gold, it was fought for by some courageous Nigerians in a struggle where plenty were killed, maimed, incarcerated unjustly, ‘letter-bombed, tortured psychologically and physically.
“Nigerians must be alert and vigilant so that the desperate power-hungry political class does not take country back to the dark days of autocratic rule where dehumanization will be the mode of governing.
“The military should remember that it derives its authority from civil rule, and soldiers fraternising with politicians should remember that military rule is no longer fashionable.
“We do not want a military that is not subject to democracy. The politicians involved too much be identified and charged with treasonable felony if enough evidences validate such.
“Nigeria, despite the economic recession, cannot tolerate any military intervention in power. The intelligence arm of the Army should intensify their intelligence gathering efforts and be vigilant about early warning signs for subversive activities.
“For now, soldiers fraternizing with rebellious politicians should be fished out for immediate court-martial to serve as a serious warning to those harbouring the thoughts of truncating Nigeria’s fledgling democracy,” he added.
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