Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has denied aiding and profiting from terrorists’ activities in Katsina State and across the country.
In a reaction to a statement credited to the governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda, the director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba said while the military would not want to join words with the governor, he urged him to approach Military High Command to substantiate his allegations.
The governor reportedly made the claims when he appeared on Channels TV.
Buba said the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) remain subservient to all elected government representatives.
“In the light of the aforementioned statement of His Excellency the governor of Katsina State, the AFN elects not to join words with the state governor, rather would encourage him to approach the Military High Command to substantiate his allegations,” he said.
He reiterated that the Armed Forces of Nigeria led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has zero tolerance for indiscipline and any form of criminality in the conduct of operations across the country.
He said, “There are standing court martials to treat any form of misbehaviour by troops, especially those that portray the military negatively to the general populace”.
The DHQ added that the military remains unperturbed by such statements even though “capable of demoralising or dampening the spirit of troops in operational theatres. Rather, we will continue on the trajectory of conducting operations as well as working assiduously in the fight against terrorism”.
He said the Armed Forces want the citizens to own it and also “report any bad conduct within the ranks so that they can face the appropriate military justice system.”