The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, has said that with the arrest of a journalist, Ahmed Salkida, over links with Boko Haram sect, he has been vindicated that the Nigerian military can declare a civilian wanted.
He was reacting to reports credited to a legal practitioner, Mr. Femi Falana that the military lacks power to declare civilians wanted.
According to him, in the course of securing the country from terrorism, the military has the power to summon any person to assist them with this task.
Buratai, in a statement issued by his lawyer and human rights activist, Ugochukwu Osuagwu, obtained by journalists in Abuja, added that in the course of questioning any person who is suspected to have links with terrorists, the Army may refer the person to appropriate agencies for further investigation and prosecution, especially where the facts were available.
The statement reads…
“It was Judy Biggert who said “No one ever said that fighting the war against terrorism and defending our homeland would be easy. So let’s support our troops, law enforcement workers, and our mission to keep our nation and our children safe in the days and years to come”
“My attention has been drawn to an article appearing in several newspapers and online media credited to Learned Silk FEMI FALANA (SAN) with the caption “Army Lacks Power To Declare Civilians ‘Wanted’” .
“I disagree with this view. The Nigerian Military or Army has both Constitutional and Statutory mandate to fight terrorism and in the course of securing the country from terrorism have the power to summon any person to assist them with this task. And if in the course of questioning any person who is suspected to have links with Terrorists, the Army or Nigerian Military where the facts warrants, may refer the person to appropriate Agencies for further investigation and prosecution.
“I do not see how any person would suggest that the Nigerian Army or Military would allow any person they suspect may interfere with the war against terrorism to go scot free simply because the person wears a civilian garb or is a civilian? Certainly Public safety and National Security would not encourage such. Rather than condemn the Nigerian Army for declaring certain persons wanted or summoning any person ,we should commend them for their sound intelligence gathering.
“On October 28 2015 the Nigerian Army declared 100 Boko Haram terrorists suspects wanted in Borno. There was no write up condemning this declaration even where the photos of these persons were published. So why would declaring three persons wanted now generate controversy.
“Nigerian Army has full powers under Section 217 of the Nigerian Constitution to summon or declare any suspected person wanted in the course of defending Nigeria’s territorial space from terrorists and rebels.They do not need to wait for the IGP or AGF or SSS to act swiftly.
“1999 Constitution of Nigeria Section 217 provides . (1) There shall be an armed forces for the Federation which shall consist of an army, a navy, an Air Force and such other branches of the armed forces of the Federation as may be established by an Act of the National Assembly.
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