The military authorities said this with barely 48 hours to the gubernatorial elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states.
The Defence Headquarters, Abuja, has warned that there will be consequences for persons working for some governorship candidates who plan to disguise in military wear to orchestrate havoc and disrupt elections in the states concerned.
The military authorities said this with barely 48 hours to the gubernatorial elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states.
This was made known by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, while briefing on military operations to counter threats of terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, oil theft perpetrators and other forms of insecurity across the country.
He added that the military would not fold its arms and watch its image dragged into the mud.
The DMO, while speaking in regards of any possible connivance by troops to flout electoral guidelines or create havoc, warned troops to beware that standing court martials had been created and that any personnel found wanting would face the consequences of their action.
“For the off-season elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States this weekend taking place. Here is a message for you. The military is deployed in strength for the election to create a safe environment for voters to peacefully come out and cast their votes.
“However, we are aware of plans of some to disguise in military gear to orchestrate havoc and disrupt elections in some areas. Our message to such a group is that there will be injurious consequences for such an action. The military will not fold its arms and watch its image dragged to the mud.
“It is important to highlight that the AFN is a disciplined and well-trained force that conducts its operation within the ambit of laws governing human rights and that of armed conflict. We have rules of engagement that are followed in the course of our actions. Nevertheless, there are standing court martials to put on trial any erring personnel that is found wanting during operations.”
Speaking on operations to tackle insecurity and other threats, Gen Buba said, “Troops in the last week neutralised 113 terrorists with 300 of them arrested. Troops also arrested 25 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 91 kidnapped hostages.
“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 49 illegal refining sites, 76 dugout pits, 35 boats, 95 storage tanks, 10 vehicles, 129 cooking ovens, 5 pumping machines, 13 speedboats, 6 outboard engines, one vessel, 3 motorcycles. Troops recovered 514,640 litres of stolen crude oil, 339,315 litres of illegally refined AGO and 775 litres of DPK.
“Troops also arrested 57 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 47 kidnapped hostages. In the SS, troops denied oil theft of the estimated sum of Seven Hundred and Twenty-Seven Million Seven Hundred and Eighty-Six thousand Eight Hundred Naira (N727, 786,800.00) only.
“During the operations, troops recovered 129 assorted weapons and 717 assorted ammunition made up of one unserviceable AA gun, one RPG tube, 5 RPG bombs, one GT3 rifle, 54 AK47 rifles, 8 locally fabricated rifles, one locally made rifle, 2 pistols, 2 pump action guns, 2 Dane guns, 4 locally fabricated pistol, 3 skeleton of AK47 rifles, 9 hand grenades, one unserviceable AK47 rifle, 14 magazines, 321 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 40 live cartridges.”