Nigeria's army chief has warned military officers against insubordination to the government of the country urging them to defend democracy.
''The only thing better than democracy for Nigeria in this modern era, is more democracy'' the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja said at a graduation ceremony for military officers in Kaduna state on Saturday.
''All officers and men of the Nigerian Army must be reminded that subordination of the military to constituted authority remains the most fashionable means of promoting military professionalism,'' an army statement quoted General Lagbaja as saying.
The warning by the Nigerian army chief comes as the West African region is gripped by a coup in Niger, the latest in a series of military takeovers in the region.
The West African regional bloc ECOWAS has imposed sanctions against Niger and is threatening to use military force to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
The Nigerian army chief urged the country's military officers not to interrupt democracy. Instead, they should be disobedient to democratic government, he said.
Democracy champions
''The desire of every Nigerian is a flourishing, uninterrupted constitutional democratic governance, that promotes national values and the interest of every well-meaning Nigerian, irrespective of ethnic or religious affiliation,'' he stressed.
"I therefore charge all Nigerian Army personnel to be proud champions of our flourishing democracy and remain apolitical in discharging their constitutional duties," General Lagbaja added.
Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999 years of military rule. Since then, the country has held several elections and peaceful transitions from one democratically elected government to another with the latest earlier this year.
Current President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is also the Chairman of ECOWAS was sworn in at the end of May after winning an election in February.
