General Lucky Irabor, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, has said there is zero chance of military coup in Nigeria.
The army chief who spoke against the backdrop of rising cases of military coups in West Africa in an interview published in Vanguard on Tuesday, said Nigeria has learnt from past military coups and that the chances of non-democratic leadership in the country is zero.
“First, let me make it clear that the probability of non-democratic leadership in Nigeria is zero,” he said.
“Rather than go back to our past, we have learnt from it. It is no longer an option. We are passing this message down the ladder.”
Irabor advised other countries on the continent to strengthen their democratic processes, while attributing the advent of coups to weak democratic institutions.
“Like Nigeria is doing, other African countries must strengthen their democratic processes rather than subvert it,” he said.
“Our findings reveal that one main reason for these negative events is when a leader overstays and loses focus. This causes government institutions to weaken and eventually the non-democratic take over.
“Some security stakeholders believe that the final stage of the war against terrorism will be faster if the country hires foreign fighters (mercenaries).”
The CDS noted that fighting men and women in Nigeria put on the uniform to defend the country, not because they are paid to do so, but because they see it as a duty.
“The men and women of the Armed Forces fight to protect Nigeria not because they are paid to do it. It is because they, we see it as a duty,” he said.
“Certainly, we will continue to collaborate with other global powers and defense institutions, but we are not going to outsource our primary responsibility.”