Nigerian Army hold press briefing, Warns Against Civilian Use of Military Uniforms with its punishment if caught
The Nigerian Army has issued a strong warning to civilians against the illegal use of military uniforms, emphasizing that such actions pose a serious threat to national security and aid criminal activities.
Civilian Use of Military Uniforms, Why it’s wrong
Major-General Gold Chibuisi, Chief of Civil-Military Affairs, clarified the military’s stance, stating that many criminals now disguise themselves in military attire to commit crimes such as robbery and extortion. “Currently, there are a lot of criminals using military garb to perpetrate crime. If people keep dressing like that, how do you differentiate between a criminal and a genuine soldier?” he asked.
Chibuisi highlighted the need for public awareness and community action on the civilian use of army uniform, urging citizens to discourage others from wearing military uniforms if they are not enlisted. “If somebody you know is not in the military comes out in the morning and he wants to jog or drive to Shoprite wearing our uniform, you tell your boy, ‘Wait, you don’t join the army; remove this thing abeg.’ Make sure they don’t catch you,” he advised.
Civilian Use of Military Uniforms, How Military officers should behave
He also addressed concerns regarding military conduct during enforcement, noting that soldiers are trained to arrest offenders and hand them over to the police for prosecution. However, he condemned any form of harassment or excessive force, assuring that those found guilty are sanctioned. “All these other things that come with it harassment or rough handling are not right,” he said. “And we are doing sensitisation on them. Those that we find, that we get evidence against, we always sanction them sternly.”
Civilian use of army uniform Punishment
Emphasizing prevention over enforcement, Chibuisi appealed to civilians to avoid actions that could lead to unnecessary confrontations. “One side is for our soldiers to do the right thing when they see it, but the other side is for civilians not to do it at all. Spare us from all that,” he urged.
He concluded by drawing a clear line between Nigeria’s situation and that of other countries. “This is not America. You can’t say because someone wears it in America, you can wear it here. Moreover, the challenges we are having here, I don’t think they have them in America,” he said.
