The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor has called on Nigerians to anchor their trust in the military as they strive to maintain neutrality in accordance with the president’s directive in the 2023 elections.
The Defence Chief said the security agencies and the military constantly come under pressure to compromise during elections through various financial inducements but have remain neutral.
He said this on Thursday during the Ministerial weekly briefing.
General Irabor who provided updates of strides made by the Military in the fight against insurgency, terrorism and banditry, stated that personnel are being trained to follow the codified rules of engagement before, during and after the elections.
The CDS further reveals that over 300,000 persons have been freed from the hands of abductors since 2016 while refugees who fled the northeast owing to insurgency have started to return.
He admits that there still exits Internal sabotage within the military, but asserts that they have not succeeded.
He further debunked a recent allegation by an international news media which accused the military of carrying out over 10,000 illegal abortions on female victims of the war in the North east.
According to him, it is impossible for the military to have been engaged in a planned abortion program since 2013.
He said as the military commander in charge of Operation Lafia Dole between 2016 and 2017, he has never heard of such thing.
He therefore condemns the report in its entirety, noting that the military is not unaware of extra territorial elements who do not want peace to fester in the country.