General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, has warned that the military and security forces are actively pursuing individuals instigating a coup or any other form of unconstitutional regime change.
News About Nigeria reports that Musa made the remarks during a joint press briefing held by top security officials and military leaders at the Defence Headquarters on Tuesday.
CDS said that the military is aware of external backing for certain demonstrations and is working with other security agencies to identify and hold accountable those responsible for orchestrating the unrest.
He said “I want to appreciate Nigerians for their understanding, for their commitment to upholding the law and order.
“We have had issues in the past few days, but you can see that people have seen reason for us not to continue with the destruction, to stop the looting, to stop giving opportunities for others to subvert our nation and to destroy our nation.
“They have also seen reasons to join hands together with the security forces to make Nigeria better.
“We want to assure them we on this side that we are fully committed to Nigeria, we love the country, we are mindful of the fact that we have been equipped and so we are duty bound to protect the country.
“We are only after those that are against the states, not those that are innocent.
“So I want to make that very clear and we will continue to work together as a team to support Mr President in achieving his mandate of peace and tranquility in our dear country Nigeria.”
The CDS called for the collaboration of all other agencies to ensure that they achieve success and called for calm, mediation, discussion, and dialogue towards national unity and cohesion as one great country.
He said the Nigerian military was people-centric in all its activities, adding they were not interested in anybody being killed or injured or being prosecuted, except those that had crossed the line.
He added that the joint news conference was an opportunity to show that the military and all the security agencies were working as a team in line with the mandate of the president.
He and the Chief of Army Staff addressed the media to provide updates on the current situation and the military’s efforts to restore peace and security.
The army is focused on deploying resources to combat protests and riots, while also maintaining its commitment to fighting terrorism and banditry, and has seen positive indicators of returning peace and stability in areas like Borno state.
The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, said the navy had continued to work with other services and security agencies to ensure safety and security in the maritime domain.
The Nigerian Navy reaffirmed its dedication to maintaining operations in the Niger Delta, which has already resulted in increased oil production and revenue, ultimately benefiting the nation and its citizens.
The military, including the Air Force, remains committed to successfully executing its operations and defending the country’s territorial integrity, ensuring the nation’s security and stability.
The Chiefs of the army, navy, air force and Defence as well as the Inspector-General of Police and representative of the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), made presentations
Also in attendance are the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service, and Commander-General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
