Don’t Use Public Misconducts of Some Soldiers to Label Military In Bad Light – DHQ

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Sunday says public misconducts of some soldiers in recent times were giving the public negative perception about the Nigerian Military.

It, therefore, appealed to the public not to use the actions of some few soldiers not to label the Nigerian Military in a bad light, blaming their misbehaviours as a result of frustrations and personal challenges.

In other to change peoples’ perception, the DHQ has entered into a collaboration with Ned Nwoko Foundation to create awareness to the civil populace with a view to improving the negative perception about the military.

READ: Buratai Lauds Soldiers After Condemning Them

Speaking on Sunday The Chief of Defence State, General Gabriel Olonisakin, who led some top officers of the various arms of the Nigerian Military on a visit to business mogul and Founder of Ned Nwoko Foundation, Ned Nwoko, in Abuja, said the actions of the soldiers were not representations of the Nigerian Military.

Olonisakin, who was represented by the Chief of Defence Civil/Military Corporation, Rear Admiral Obed Ngalabak, the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, noted that frustrations and personal challenges occasioned the attitudes of the soldiers.

He further explained that due to the present development, the DHQ team had the mission to enter an agreement with the foundation to coordinate the military interaction with the people and institutions in the country.

“The Chief of Defence Staff has asked that we meet you because the civil-military relations is bad, it needs to be brought together and a person like you will go a long way to support this project.

“There was a certain article on some soldiers recently misbehaving in Lagos, but I want to say that in every family, there are black sheep, and this is just an example of that.

“Sometimes, it is because of the challenges they themselves are having; they are frustrated, and they have no way of letting it out, and so sometimes they behave like that, but that is not saying that is who we are, its not everybody.

“We are trying to use this opportunity to correct some of these impressions and make people understand that the military is Nigerians, they are fighting for Nigeria and what we are doing is for Nigerians,” Rear Admiral Ngalabak told Nwoko.

While thanking Nwoko for his avowed determination to end malaria in Africa, he appealed to the philanthropist to take the battle against the disease in another form; the relationship.

READ: PDP, SERAP, CDHR React to Buratai’s Comment on B’Haram’s resurgence

“We are aware of the immense work you are doing to combat malaria, not just in Nigeria but across Africa.

“We know that malaria is the number one killer; it actually kills much more than AIDS and another sickness that we are aware of. I have lost a sister personally, I know how it feels, and it is a devastating disease.

“The fight you are doing in combatting it is very heartwarming, and the chief of defense staff is aware of it, but we want you to fight another malaria in another form; the relationship.”

He further explained that the Civil/Military Relations Department was created because we came to the military realised that it is always doing things in isolation, and there is a need for the people to know what they are doing because they don’t know.

“We have not taken time to explain to our sisters and brothers what we are doing, that is why we are doing what we are doing and we think that it is necessary for us to do that.

“We have tied it to this military remembrance period; we are doing on project whereby on Saturday, we are going to visit the troops in the front with some artists who will perform for them in the morning, after which we will come back and visit the widows and children of the deceased personnel who died in the frontline battle.

“After that, in the evening they will be dual to dawn performance with artistes and comedians. The whole idea is to make the civilians understand what we are doing, why we are doing, and to make them come close to us and let them know that we are not from outer space.

“We are Nigerians; we are fighting to keep Nigeria staff, they are our brothers and sisters we are part of them.”

Responding, Nwoko noted that during his stint in the House of Representatives, he was a member of the Committee on Defence that worked very closely with them.

“We did a lot with them, and it is only a foolish person that doesn’t understand the importance of the work the military is doing. Whatever it is that we can do to support you, I am all for it.

“I particularly feel happy that there is a new department created to deal with this vacuum, dealing with civilians, making them understand that you are part and parcel of all of us. It is like the police and community policing. I will play my role not just now, but it will be a continuous role,” he assured.