The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, has pledged the loyalty of the military leadership to democratic rule in the country.
Recently, some countries on the continent witnessed a forceful takeover of power by the military, including Mali, Guinea, and Sudan.
The people of Guinea were taken by shock on September 5, 2021, when army putschists in the country said they had arrested President Alpha Conde and staged a coup.
Seven weeks later, Sudanese armed forces detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok over his refusal to support their coup on Monday.
Nigeria last witnessed a military coup in 1993 with the military eventually relinquishing power in 1999.
There have been successful democratic transitions since then including to an opposition party as democracy takes its root in Africa’s largest country.
Speaking on Friday at a virtual media chat tagged ‘Open Ears Dialogue’, Irabor said personnel of the Nigerian armed forces are not contemplating undertaking a coup.
He asked politicians to desist from luring armed forces members into political matters, saying the military should be insulated from any political persuasions or inclinations.
“The armed forces of Nigeria have nothing whatsoever to do with anything that has to do with coup. We have learned our lessons over the years and we have come to our conclusion that coups will do us more harm than good,” he said.
“And so this is what the leadership of the armed forces is passing down the chain, and educating everyone under our command that there is no reason whatsoever for anyone to contemplate that.
“And in the same vein, the leadership of the armed forces is also telling politicians to leave us alone, do not mix us up with issues that have to do with politics and do not use political inclinations and persuasions to want to lure anybody from the armed forces into the idea of having to undertake coups and all.”
