Former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd), has explained why some #EndBadGovernance protesters are agitating for Russia’s intervention. He categorically kicked against any putsch in the country.... CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶▶
In a chat with reporters in Abuja, the former presidential aide called on those advocating return to military rule to perish the thought and demand ‘military professionalism.’
He lamented that the country’s military has been overstretched by conflicts across the federation.
The most populous black nation has been contending with several security threats, including Boko Haram/Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgency, separatist agitations, banditry, herdsmen-farmers’ conflict, widespread kidnapping and abduction, terrorism, armed groups and oil theft.
According to data from the Nigeria Security Tracker (NST), 98,083 Nigerians were killed between 2011 and 2023.
The deaths arose from terrorism, banditry, herders/farmers’ clashes, communal crises, cult clashes, and extra-judicial killings, among others.
Similarly, statistics from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), a bureau that collects real-time data on locations, dates, actors, fatalities and types of reported political violence and protests worldwide, revealed that 2,336 Nigerians were killed in various violent attacks in the first quarter of this year.
On the clamour for Russian intervention by some of the protesters, Al-Mustapha said the development might not be unconnected with the military coups in neighbouring countries and the role played by the European nation in ‘liberating’ the people from the stranglehold of France.
He, however, absolved Russia of having a hand in the ongoing protests in Nigeria.
The ex-CSO submitted that the ongoing demonstrations call for deep introspection among the ruling class.
The Guardian reports that about 40 persons have been arrested in the North for waving Russia’s flag during the protests against high cost of living, even as the Nigerian government warned that it is a ‘treasonable offence’ to fly the flags of foreign countries.
He equally charged military officers to exhibit a high sense of professionalism, patriotism and loyalty in defending the country.
Al-Mustapha underscored the need for advocates of military coups to embrace military professionalism.
