May 29: Army Hints On Attack During Inauguration By Coalition Of Nigerian And Foreign Forces

Major opposition political parties have picked holes in the alarm raised by the Nigerian Army on Saturday that some individuals were working with foreign interest to frustrate the May 29 inauguration of President Mohammadu Buhari for a second term in office.

The Peoples Democratic Party, African Democratic Congress and the Social Democratic Party, apart from distancing themselves from the alleged plot, said the suit instituted against Buhari over his victory at the presidential poll was behind the alarm raised by the military.

The acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col Sagir Musa, also alleged that some foreign interest were working to cause disaffection and divide the Multinational Joint Task Force fighting Boko Haram terrorists and Islamic State for West African Province fighters.

The army spokesman said, “The army has noted with great concern the efforts by some unpatriotic individuals, groups and foreign interest determined to make mischief and exacerbate the security situation in this country in particular and the West African sub-region in general.

“These persons and groups are making efforts to further induce the ISWAP and Boko Haram terrorists and bandits with funds and other logistic support. Their body language and unguarded utterances seem to be in tandem with the above and imply a tacit support for the criminals.”

Musa added, “Some of these mischievous elements thought that we would not have safe and successful general elections but were proved wrong. Hence they want to derail the scheduled handover later this month and to scuttle the democratic process in the country.

“We note that foreign interest are also working assiduously to cause disaffection and divide the coalition, MNJTF, to give room for ISWAP and its defeated local franchise, the Boko Haram terrorists’ group, to resurrect.”

There have security crises in the North-West region, ranging from banditry and killings in Zamfara, Katsina and Sokoto states, to the Boko Haram attacks in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states in the North-East.

The army had, on Friday, confirmed that its current threat assessments indicated the migration of bandits from Zamfara State to Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto and Niger states.

It added that it was expanding its operation, Harbin Kunama 3, to cover the affected states.

The army also said on Saturday that it was usually called in when insecurity got worse while the public expected miracles.

The army spokesman said, “The army is a stakeholder in the national security and sustenance of democracy. Additionally, we are making this statement because the military, particularly the army, has always been called upon to intervene in conflict situations and resolve crises in most cases when they get worse, while the public expect miracles.

“We reiterate our loyalty to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to defend the territorial integrity of this nation from both external and internal aggression.  Nigeria is a sovereign country with a clearly established judicial system. Therefore, all aggrieved persons and groups should take advantage of that and resolve their differences amicably.”