ON THE MILITARY COUP RUMOUR
The rumour should be thoroughly investigated. We can no longer afford coups
In response to online reports of a foiled military coup attempt, the Defence Headquarters last week clarified its earlier statement about the 16 officers facing disciplinary actions. While describing the reports as “entirely false, malicious and intended to cause unnecessary tension and distrust among the populace,” the military high command has also dismissed insinuation that the cancellation of the 65th Independence anniversary parade had anything to do with security breaches. While we commend the swift and reassuring response by the Defence Headquarters on this matter, the wording of the statement is a tacit admission that something went fatally wrong.
Finding reasons for the arrest of that large number of officers has only deepened public suspicion. The recent order restricting the movement of civil operatives in and around the Villa is yet another red flag. The recent wave of unrest and coups in some African countries enlarges the red flag even further. Two weeks ago, an elite unit of the Madagascar armed forces overthrew the government of President Andry Rajoelina, following weeks of civil protest that started in September. Earlier, there had been military takeover of government in some African countries notably Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, and Guinea.
What is at stake most crucially is the plight and future of democracy in parts of the world other than the democratic West and autocratic counter cultures. In Africa, economic stagnation, jihadist insurgency, bad politicsand disastrous governance have quickened the pressure towards undemocratic forms of political change. Meanwhile, Nigeria has a long nasty memory of undemocratic rule which ought to make the word ‘coup’ singularly ugly in our political discourse. The administration of President Bola Tinubu needs to increase the security of the state by refocusing attention on the welfare of citizens. Even when military coups offer no solution to political problems, the ultimate lesson is for leaders to be more accountable to the people. And for the military, information concerning the coup story must be carefully managed in a manner that does not encourage fear of insecurity or portray the state as unstable.
While the report of the investigation by the Nigerian military is being awaited, it is important to remind ambitious officers that such adventure is an aberration, and that democracy has come to stay as a global form of governance. The military must not distract from its current focus which is to defeat the Boko Harama/ISWAP insurgencies and win the war against banditry, militancy and other criminalities that are confronting the nation today and impeding our development. Rather than venturing into governance, the military should focus on supporting democratic institutions and processes as they have done since 1999. As things stand in Nigeria today, a military intervention would not only undermine the gains of the past 26 years but could also jeopardise the country’s future as was witnessed in the past.
The military high command must impress on its officers the need to be wary of civilians and politicians who may come to induce or encourage them into any unconstitutional acts. The officers must be warned of the consequences of their actions and advised to place the country before any personal interest. We also call on the federal government to sustain the funding of the military to enhance its professionalism by the acquisition of modern platforms and equipment required for their operations and continuous training. This is the only way to keep our military busy to discharge their constitutional roles.
Having confirmed that the ongoing investigation involving the 16 officers is a routine internal process to ensure discipline and professionalism, we hope that they will be given fair hearing and that the public would indeed be availed the outcome as promised in the interest of transparency.
