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Tag: Chief of Defence Staff

  • 2023 Elections: We Are Under Pressure To Compromise — CDS, Gen. Lucky Irabor

    2023 Elections: We Are Under Pressure To Compromise — CDS, Gen. Lucky Irabor

    The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor has disclosed that the security agencies and the military constantly come under pressure to compromise during elections through various financial inducements, but has called on Nigerians to anchor their trust in the military as they strive to maintain neutrality in accordance with the president’s directive.

    Speaking during the Ministerial weekly briefing today, the Chief of defense Staff who provided updates of strides made by the Military in the fight against insurgency, terrorism and banditry, he stated that personnel are being trained to follow the codified rules of engagement before, during and after the elections.

    The CDS further reveals that over 300,000 persons have been freed from the hands of abductors since 2016 while refugees who fled the northeast owing to insurgency have started to return.

    He admits that there still exits Internal sabotage within the military, but asserts that they have not succeeded. It is for this reason he debunks a recent allegation by an international news media which accused the military of carrying out over 10,000 illegal abortions on female victims of the war in the North east.

    According to him, it is impossible for the military to have been engaged in a planned abortion program since 2013 and as the military commander in charge of Operation Lafia Dole between 2016 and 2017, he never heard of any such thing.

    He therefore condemns the report in its entirety, noting that the military is not unaware of extra territorial elements who do not peace to fester in the country.

    The CDS also revisted the alleged Lekki toll gate massacre in 2020, insisting that the Nigerian military is not interested in killing its own people, but rather more concerned in protecting the citizens.

    He added that the efforts of the military in the fight against crude oil theft have been yielding positive results with the increase in the crude oil production of 1.6 million barrels per day.

  • Defence Chief Assures Nigerians of Safety During 2023 Polls

    Defence Chief Assures Nigerians of Safety During 2023 Polls

    The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor has assured Nigerians that the 2023 general elections will hold amid the worsening insecurity across the country.

    There have been serious concerns by Nigerians as to whether the polls will be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) across the country as terrorists and bandits keep having a field day despite repeated assurances by the Federal Government to tackle insecurity.

    But speaking during a media parley on Tuesday at the defence headquarters in Abuja, General Irabor said the military will do everything possible to ensure that nothing stops the poll from holding.

    The Defence Chief also reiterated the commitment of the military to protecting the democratic ideals in Africa’s most populous nation.

    According to him, the military has made a covenant to protect Nigeria’s democracy and it has not changed its position.

    The parley is meant to solicit the support of the media organisations towards tackling the security challenges in the country.

    It is the second in the series of engagements between the chief of defence staff and executives and editors of media organisations in Nigeria.

    He also used the opportunity of the briefing to reveal that the assailants linked to a suspected terror attack on the Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo two months ago have been arrested.

    Though he did not reveal the number of arrested suspects, Irabor stated that the attackers were arrested during joint operations involving the Armed Forces, the Department of Security Services (DSS) and the police.

    About 40 people were killed when the gunmen stormed the church on June 5, opened fire on the congregation, and also detonated explosives as the worshippers scampered for safety.