“Behave like the elder statesmen that you are” – FG replies Danjuma, others
The Federal Government has reacted to former Chief of Army Staff, TY Danjuma’s controversial statement that citizens should take up arms to defend themselves against attacks.
Danjuma had, at the maiden convocation of the Taraba State University, and the 10th anniversary of the institution a week ago, said the Nigerian military was compromised.
He had said: “Our Armed Forces are not neutral. They collude with the bandits to kill people, kill Nigerians. The Armed Forces guide their movements; they cover them. If you are depending on the Armed Forces to stop the killings, you will all die one by one.
“This ethnic cleansing must stop in Taraba State and other rural states of Nigeria, otherwise, Somalia will be a child’s play.
“I ask every one of you to be alert and defend your country; defend your territory and defend your state. Defend yourselves because you have no other place to go. God bless our country.”
FG has described this proclamation by Danjuma as “shocking and scary”.
In a statement made available Saturday, presidential spokesperson on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu said the elder statesman’s speech was likely to stoke the fire of chaos in the country.
The statement read:
“The Presidency wishes to appeal to prominent Nigerians, who have national influence, to use their influence wisely and not continue to engage in public declarations that are likely to inflame emotional passions and threaten national security.
“The Presidency is very worried that criminal gangs will feel justified in defying legal, governing and democratic institutions, and authorities of legitimately elected democratic government if unrestrained pronouncements are made.
“Silence can be dignified, but sometimes, it can be misinterpreted and exploited. It is both shocking and scary to hear the recent comments by a senior citizen calling for Nigerians to defend themselves.”
The Federal government said prominent persons like Danjuma should be careful about their utterances, and avoid heating up the polity.
“What country would survive if its citizens rise against the country’s organised, trained and equipped military?,” the statement added.
“We advise former leaders to take advantage of the various fora, where people with a history of national security can offer advice to the government without resorting to the exploitation of emotional sentiments.
It added, “The civil war motto: ‘To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done’, rings very timely at this time in our nation’s history. We must be careful to avoid the mess that destroyed other African countries like Somalia.”
