The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Gwarbin Musa, has assured that the coup sweeping across neighbouring West African countries will not happen in Nigeria.

Musa said that the military remained committed and dedicated to securing and protecting democracy in the country and would not allow anti-democratic forces.

He further commended President Bola Tinubu for all his support to the military saying they would continue to be dedicated in doing their job.

Musa spoke in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday, November 1, during his visit to the troops of 6 Division Nigerian Army and other military formations in the state.

The CDS, who was accompanied by senior military officers, inaugurated many projects such as the 47 Engineering Brigade Counter Improvised Explosives Device Squadron, 29 Battalion Magazine, two streets named after him among others constructed by the Commander 6 Divison, Maj.- Gen. Jamal Abdulsalam.

Musa, who planted a tree at the Bori Camp headquarters of the division, insisted that the military would continue to protect the integrity of the country and to defend her citizens.

He said: “I am in Port Harcourt to visit the troops to see how they are doing, interact with them and to commend them for job well done and to encourage them to continue to do more.

“We know we have a number of challenges within the country and Rivers State is not excluded. It is just a way to tell them that we are together and to hear directly from them.

“We want to thank the Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu for all the support he has given to the armed forces and security forces and to assure him that we are dedicated and committed in doing our job.

“We are here to protect the integrity of Nigeria. I actually came around starting from Imo State, we went to Bayelsa and now I am in Rivers State to try to encourage the troops to continue to do more and remain professional,” he said.

Musa said the coups happening in countries around Nigeria had caused some apprehension but insisted that there was nothing to worry about.

He said: “I want Nigeria to be assured that the armed forces of Nigeria is here for them to protect them and to protect democracy and ensure that democracy thrives. They should have no fear. We have had a number of coups in countries around Nigeria, we have Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

“I know that is a lot of apprehensions. I want to assure everyone that the Arm Forces of Nigeria is dedicated and committed in ensuring and securing and supporting and standing by democracy. We stand by democracy.

“You saw that ECOWAS was very decisive on the decision taken against the coup plotters and we want to assure Nigerians that nothing like coup is going to take place in Nigeria. “All members of the Armed Forces are pleased with democracy and we will continue to defend democracy,” he emphasized.

Musa warned criminals, oil thieves and pipeline vandals to desist from their nefarious activities saying the President had increased the capacity of the military to deal with them.

He said the military would leverage on technology to deal with the challenges to ensure peace and increased crude oil production.

“The President has equally approved some funds for us to buy enablers to assist us in fighting this menace of crude oil theft, criminality and we are going to leverage a lot on technology. That will give us a lot of leverage and we want to appeal to those criminals doing those things that we are coming after them but it is good and wise for them to stop.

“The military is dedicated and committed in ensuring that we restore peace. We want the crude production in Nigeria to grow so that Nigeria can enjoy the dividends of democracy,” he insisted.

Speaking on off-season elections in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi states, the CDS said the military would not tolerate any form of intimidation, violence and stealing of ballot boxes saying that such era was gone with the new regime.

“On the issue of election, you know three states will be having off-season elections. We are ensuring of providing adequate security. We want the elections to be credible, free and fair to enable every voter come out without being scared or being intimidated by anyone.

“We are warning all those that are used to doing it the old ways of using violence to intimidate people, stealing ballot boxes that those days are gone. This is a new regime that we must stop.

“Anybody that is caught trying to intimidate anybody or cause any mayhem in any of the three states will have himself to blame. And this we assure Nigerians,” he reiterated. (Courtesy, excluding headline, The Nation)

• Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Gwarbin Musa with troops of 6 Division Nigerian Army and other military formations in River s State

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