Elections: COAS charges GOCs, Commanders to stay away from politicians, provide peaceful environment for voters

From Molly Kilete, Abuja

The Chief Of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, has charged General Officers Commanding (GOCs), Units and Formations commanders of the Nigerian army to provide a conducive and secured environment for the conduct of a successful elections in the country.

Gen Yahaya has equally charged the commanders to deploy requisite logistics to ensure security and safety of citizens during the elections.

The COAS, who gave the charge while flagging off the commencement of Operation SAFE CONDUCT in all Nigerian Army Divisions and formations across the country, urged officers and soldiers to be professional, apolitical and adhere strictly to extant Code of conduct and Rules of Engagement guiding personnel throughout their operations.

Director, Army Public Relations Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, who made this known, said the Army Chief reiterated the unwavering resolve of the service to strictly adhere to its constitutional role by supporting the Nigeria Police, which is the lead security agency in the 2023 elections security architecture. He charged the Commanders to identify and dominate flash points in their Areas Of

Responsibility, adding that troops must be alert, proactive and operate jointly with sister services and other security agencies during the elections.

The COAS, while directing the Commanders to deploy requisite logistics to ensure security and safety of citizens during the elections, urged them to be professional, apolitical and adhere strictly to extant Code of conduct and Rules of Engagement guiding personnel throughout their operations.He warned that any infraction on the provisions of the Code of conduct will not be treated with levity. The COAS maintained that all deployments must be joint and in support of the Nigeria Police. He observed that all eyes are on the security agencies, and that the citizens expect nothing short of free and fair elections. “You must therefore refrain from hobnobbing with political gladiators and maintain your apolitical stance”, he averred.

The COAS in an effort to ensure that the laws of the land and personal liberties and rights of citizens are not compromised, recently approved the Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement for Nigerian Army personnel during Operation SAFE CONDUCT 2023.