President Muhammadu Buhari has again tasked security agencies to remain apolitical in their dealings at all times.
Buhari spoke on Wednesday at the inauguration of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) Estate at Idu-Karmo in Abuja.
Lucky Irabor, chief of defence staff, vowed recently that the military will resist pressure to compromise the 2023 elections.
Irabor said the military is apolitical, noting that necessary measures are being put in place to ensure that they obey Buhari’s directive to maintain neutrality.
A coalition of civil society organisations recently alleged that there was a plot to frame Godwin Emefiele, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), for terrorism and remove him from office over the impact of the redesign of the naira on vote-buying in the 2023 elections.
In a tweet on his official handle after the event on Wednesday, the president said the security agencies should also do away with anything that will soil the nation’s democratic process.
“I have made it very clear to the security agencies that they have a responsibility to remain apolitical at all times,” the president tweeted.
“Under no circumstances should they get involved in anything that could compromise the democratic process, or bring disrepute to their institutions and to Nigeria.”
While declaring open the chief of army staff’s annual conference in Sokoto on December 8, the president directed the Nigerian armed forces to remain apolitical and continue to operate within the framework of the constitution to ensure the successful conduct of the 2023 elections.
He said it is vital that the armed forces support the civil authority by providing a peaceful environment to enable the success of the forthcoming elections.
