The Nigerian Army has denied reports that it was recruiting Islamic extremists and jihadists into the military.
The rebuttal was made in a statement signed by Onyema Nwachukwu, the Army spokesperson.
This comes as a Dutch think tank, Clingendael Institute, said jihadi fighters from the Sahel region had crossed into Nigeria through the Benin Republic border.
The organisation in a report last Wednesday stated that the extremists had settled in Kainji Lake National Park in Niger and Kebbi states, adding that banditry was re-emerging in zones controlled by a militant jihadist organisation in Benin, the Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin.
According to the army statement on Tuesday, an audio-visual report accusing the army of this is “false and misleading”.
The statement read in part; “The footage also falsely portrayed an officer calling on Muslim young men to join the military to protect and propagate Islam.
“Considering the gravity of these falsehoods, the NA wishes to clearly state that the narrative depicted in the footage is not in any instance a reflection of the true values and standards of the NA, as it is targeted at sparking palpable anxiety and fear, sowing discord and mistrust amongst our personnel, eroding public confidence in the integrity of the NA, particularly among Christian and non-Muslim communities.”
The Nigerian Army noted that such videos may suggest that faith of military personnel are under threat.
“The NA remains steadfast in upholding professionalism and impartiality as an institution devoid of ethnic and religious bigotry. Our operational and administrative processes and actions are guided by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not ethnicity or religious sentiments.”
“We, therefore, urge the public to dismiss this misleading report, which evidently stems from a misconception and lack of understanding about NA’s Standing Operating Procedures (SOP).”
The army vowed to punish any deviation from the Nigerian Army’s SOP regardless of the religious affiliation of those involved.
“We call on all citizens to rise above these divisive tactics and stand united. The strength of Nigeria lies in her unity in diversity, and it is this unique national strength and trait that the NA seeks to protect while carrying out its constitutional responsibilities. We will remain undaunted in upholding these principles in the face of any challenge.”
“The NA remains committed to serving and protecting all Nigerians, irrespective of religious or ethnic affiliations. Let us work together to maintain the peace and unity of our great nation,” the statement concluded.
