Major General Ali Keffi (Retired), has said that it is necessary for the military to step into the ongoing nationwide protests tagged #EndBadGovernance because protest movements are dangerous, especially now that Nigeria is in a state of “war.”
Keffi said this in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Sunday where he also said that it is one of the constitutional roles of the Armed Forces to step into a situation that has gotten too overwhelming for the Police and other security agencies to handle, defending the choice of the military to get involved in the protests.
The retired Major General said, “I want to begin by saying that protests and protest movements are very dangerous – I said very dangerous – in the context of a fragile state like we have in Nigeria. Look at what is ongoing in Sudan today; recall a few years ago, there was this protest against the government of Al Bashir. They protested, they encouraged the military to come in. The military came and there was a kind of share of power between the armed forces on one side and then also the Rapid Support Forces, RSF, and you see what now has become of Sudan, the two groups are now fighting themselves. Sudan is now virtually on the verge of collapse. Now, this is part of the problem of protest movements.”
He went on to say, “Protest movements, while they are good – there is nothing wrong to it, I also am feeling the pinch as a retired Major General, my initial take home, that is, my pension monthly, was an equivalent of $3,000. Now, with what is going right now, it’s less than $900. I’m feeling it, I go to the same market just like anybody, so I’m feeling it.
“Now these people protesting, I agree with their demands, all of us are feeling this hardship. But the protest movement, the way it is, you see, you cannot control the off-stages of protests. I mean, just like you say in the military, no plan survives first contact intact, no plan. So, whatever the organisers’ lofty plans they had, they’re not going to control everything. So, we have to be very careful with protest movements.
“So, that is why the military is right, we are in a state of “war” as it is, that they cannot allow things to get out of hand. And don’t forget we have separatist movements. We have IPOB. We have Boko Haram. They could take advantage of this. So, the military has to stay in the background and watch and ensure that this thing does not get out of hand.”
Explaining that the military has a right to step into the protests, Keffi said, “As part of the constitutional role of the armed forces, one of their secondary roles is to support the police where they are being overwhelmed, where the situation is likely to get out of hand. So, it is proper for the military to come in, in that regard when the situation is getting beyond what the security agencies – that is, the police and others – can hold. Don’t forget that the military is a defence force, the Armed Forces of Nigeria, it is not a security thing. But internal security is one of its key secondary roles because the Armed Forces has responsibility to ensure that the country is stable.”
Further reiterating the importance of the military being involved in Nigeria’s security during the protests, he said, “You’ve heard some concerned eminent Nigerians who have come out to speak, to say that we are in a state of war, and that is really a good characterisation or description of the situation.
“A territory of Nigeria within are facing insurgency, they’re facing heightened state of insecurity which is far beyond the capability of the police and other security agencies. So, in that wise, you are almost in the state of war, and these insurgents, bandits, kidnappers and the rest are using weapons that are beyond the capacity of the police and other agencies. So, in that regard, it is absolutely right and proper for the military to come in.”
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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