The Nigerian Army may have begun an internal search for soldiers and officers suspected to be engaging in political meetings, a top military source reveal to Punch.
The source said that some arrests may have been made, but that the information was being kept as top secret so as not to add to public tension.
On Tuesday, Buratai, in a tense language, had warned officers and soldiers to steer clear of politics, as information had reached him that some officers were involved in political meetings for “undisclosed reasons.”
The army chief had advised officers and soldiers interested in politicking to resign from the service, as any officer caught would be severely penalised.
The top army source said the army knew quite well the weight of its statement on politicking soldiers in the country, and had already followed up with high intelligence-driven search, adding that the public groups and civil societies could not be more rigorous than the army.
Other sources told Punch that some of the suspected political meetings were held under the guise of some of the recently redeployed 147 soldiers and officers, allegedly trying to familiarise with their new hosts.
When contacted on the measures the army was taking on the alert of soldiers hobnobbing with politicians, the army spokesman, Usman, said the army was a professional service, and would not hesitate to brief the public if it considered the information as necessary.
He said, “The army is a disciplined and professional service. We relate well with the Nigerian public. When there is need to disclose information, we will.”
The source said that some arrests may have been made, but that the information was being kept as top secret so as not to add to public tension.
On Tuesday, Buratai, in a tense language, had warned officers and soldiers to steer clear of politics, as information had reached him that some officers were involved in political meetings for “undisclosed reasons.”
The army chief had advised officers and soldiers interested in politicking to resign from the service, as any officer caught would be severely penalised.
The top army source said the army knew quite well the weight of its statement on politicking soldiers in the country, and had already followed up with high intelligence-driven search, adding that the public groups and civil societies could not be more rigorous than the army.
Other sources told Punch that some of the suspected political meetings were held under the guise of some of the recently redeployed 147 soldiers and officers, allegedly trying to familiarise with their new hosts.
When contacted on the measures the army was taking on the alert of soldiers hobnobbing with politicians, the army spokesman, Usman, said the army was a professional service, and would not hesitate to brief the public if it considered the information as necessary.
He said, “The army is a disciplined and professional service. We relate well with the Nigerian public. When there is need to disclose information, we will.”
