The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, affirmed on Tuesday that the military will not entertain any calls to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s government.
Speaking at the opening of the COAS Combined 2nd and 3rd Quarters Conference in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, Lagbaja emphasized that the Nigerian Army is committed to preserving the progress made since the country’s return to democracy in 1999.
He pointed out that the push for a coup is largely driven by young Nigerians who did not experience the era of military rule. Lagbaja also highlighted the ongoing support the military has received from both the Federal and state governments, citing the recent acquisition of two BELL UH-1 Huey helicopters to enhance efforts in combating crime.
The call for a coup gained traction during the recent #EndBadGovernance protests, where some youths in the North expressed frustration with years of misrule and demanded a dismantling of the country’s democratic structure.
He said: “The Nigerian Army will not allow itself to be used to undemocratically sail some interests to power. As the service that received the most image bashing as a fallout of previous military interventions in Nigeria, the Nigerian Army is not poised to lose the new prestige it has painstakingly built in the past 25 years.”
The Nigerian Army will, in the coming days, review its agricultural policy to better position the Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Limited to significantly boost crop production so that the Army can release grains into the market at a highly subsidized rate in support of government efforts.
“Furthermore, the Army Headquarters is reviewing some proposals for partnerships with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of government and reputable private organizations on how best to collaborate to resolve the food crisis in the country.”
