Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lucky Irabor, has disclosed that the military is facing pressure to compromise the 2023 elections.
He, however, said the military will remain neutral and assist the police in monitoring and securing the process.
Irabor spoke on Thursday at the ministerial media briefing organised by the presidential communications team at the presidential villa, Abuja.
The Army chief said military personnel face pressure through inducements, but the armed forces would remain apolitical as it is taking the necessary measures to ensure compliance with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to maintain neutrality.
He said personnel are being trained to be more professional even as the rules of engagement have been codified for distribution before, during and after the elections.
He also revealed that several military rescue operations and negotiations had led to the freeing of at least 300,000 people from the hands of their abductors since 2014 while refugees who fled the North-East due to insurgency, have started to return.
According to him, former insurgents, now being trained, would graduate in February next year before their reintegration into the society.
Irabor added that the military is recruiting more personnel into all branches of the security services.
The goal, Irabor said, is to increase the number of on-the-ground personnel to combat insurgency and banditry and curtail oil theft which will eventually lead to increased crude oil production.
