Internal Security: Army Reads Riot Act to Compromising Officers

The Nigerian Army has warned its officers and men engaged in internal security coordination with the Nigeria Police to be alive to their responsibilities of adequate protection of lives and property and desist from taking sides.

The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, in a statement released through PRNigeria on Thursday, warned that officers found taking sides in any internal insurrection or failing to perform their responsibility as expected would face the consequences of their actions.

In a reminder of the Nigerian Army Rule of Engagement (ROE) for Internal Security Operations (Operation Mesa), Usman frowned upon “the observed shortcomings especially negligence and outright ignorance displayed by troops deployed for Operation MESA and other internal security (IS) operations.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the ROE and Code of Conduct set out the circumstances and limitations, under which armed force may be applied to achieve military objectives in furtherance of government policy within Operation MESA and other IS Operations.

“Any officer or soldier found aiding or abetting any act of arson, vandalism or unprofessional conduct, would be severely dealt with according to the extant laws".

Once deployed on any IS operation, he said; “it is the duty of an officer or soldier to ensure the enforcement of law and order in conjunction with other security agencies".