The Nigerian Army may have begun an internal search for soldiers and officers suspected to be engaging in political meetings, a top military source has told SUNDAY PUNCH.

The source said that some arrests may have been made, but that the information was being kept as top secret so as not to add to public tension.

Some other sources who spoke with our correspondent on Saturday also noted that the establishment of an army unit in Daura, Katsina State, on Friday, named Muhammadu Buhari Forward Operation Base, by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, was an effort to fortify the president’s hometown and a public pledge of loyalty.

On Tuesday, Buratai, in a tense language, had warned officers and soldiers to steer clear of politics, as information had reached him that some officers were involved in political meetings for “undisclosed reasons.”

The army chief had advised officers and soldiers interested in politicking to resign from the service, as any officer caught would be severely penalised.

Three days after the alert (Friday), Buratai went to Daura, where he inaugurated the army unit, and paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Daura, Dr Faruk Umar.

The details of the meeting have yet to be known.

The army chief, at the ceremony, had said the establishment of the unit was to enhance security in parts of 1 Division, which Daura town fell under.

Also, the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Sani Usman, said, “The establishment of the new unit was part of the implementation of the Nigerian Army approved Order of Battle 2016 (ORBAT 2016) by the Army council.

“Prior to that, the COAS was also at the Palace of his Royal Highness, Alhaji Faruk Umar, the Emir of Daura, for a courtesy call.”

The top army source said the army knew quite well the weight of its statement on politicking soldiers in the country, and had already followed up with high intelligence-driven search, adding that the public groups and civil societies could not be more rigorous than the army.

Other sources told our correspondent that some of the suspected political meetings were held under the guise of some of the recently redeployed 147 soldiers and officers, allegedly trying to familiarise with their new hosts.

When contacted on the measures the army was taking on the alert of soldiers hobnobbing with politicians, the army spokesman, Usman, said the army was a professional service, and would not hesitate to brief the public if it considered the information as necessary.

He said, “The army is a disciplined and professional service. We relate well with the Nigerian public. When there is need to disclose information, we will.”

http://punchng.com/coup-scare-army-clamps-down-on-suspected-soldiers/

Nonsense news

Lol... nigeria is a joke.

Cameroonian ships are docking on Nigerian waters and all these soldiers can think of is a coup to seize power? Chai!!

PresidentMUGABE:
Nonsense news

punch that is apc mouthpiece is now "nonsense news"?..lol

Nigerian officers only know how to shoot at and harass unarmed civilians..why not go and confront Cameroon?

I pay my bills .. so i say, fvck the buratai and politicians. You down with them ... fvck you too

Serendip:
The Nigerian Army may have begun an internal search for soldiers and officers suspected to be engaging in political meetings, a top military source has told SUNDAY PUNCH.

The source said that some arrests may have been made, but that the information was being kept as top secret so as not to add to public tension.

Some other sources who spoke with our correspondent on Saturday also noted that the establishment of an army unit in Daura, Katsina State, on Friday, named Muhammadu Buhari Forward Operation Base, by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, was an effort to fortify the president’s hometown and a public pledge of loyalty.

On Tuesday, Buratai, in a tense language, had warned officers and soldiers to steer clear of politics, as information had reached him that some officers were involved in political meetings for “undisclosed reasons.”

The army chief had advised officers and soldiers interested in politicking to resign from the service, as any officer caught would be severely penalised.

Three days after the alert (Friday), Buratai went to Daura, where he inaugurated the army unit, and paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Daura, Dr Faruk Umar.

The details of the meeting have yet to be known.

The army chief, at the ceremony, had said the establishment of the unit was to enhance security in parts of 1 Division, which Daura town fell under.

Also, the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Sani Usman, said, “The establishment of the new unit was part of the implementation of the Nigerian Army approved Order of Battle 2016 (ORBAT 2016) by the Army council.

“Prior to that, the COAS was also at the Palace of his Royal Highness, Alhaji Faruk Umar, the Emir of Daura, for a courtesy call.”

The top army source said the army knew quite well the weight of its statement on politicking soldiers in the country, and had already followed up with high intelligence-driven search, adding that the public groups and civil societies could not be more rigorous than the army.

Other sources told our correspondent that some of the suspected political meetings were held under the guise of some of the recently redeployed 147 soldiers and officers, allegedly trying to familiarise with their new hosts.

When contacted on the measures the army was taking on the alert of soldiers hobnobbing with politicians, the army spokesman, Usman, said the army was a professional service, and would not hesitate to brief the public if it considered the information as necessary.

He said, “The army is a disciplined and professional service. We relate well with the Nigerian public. When there is need to disclose information, we will.”

http://punchng.com/coup-scare-army-clamps-down-on-suspected-soldiers/

Speculative! What of,if 5th Columnist is at play?

Why should there even be a coup in this present day

I need d names of those army

I hope Burutai is not using the guise of military coup to entrench nepotism in the army

If there was a coup plan then the evidence has to be made public

.

h

Coup is part of change o.

When a Northerner is in Power...a Coup won't be a bad idea it's just history repeating itself. . Shagari was overthrown in the 1983 Nigerian coup d'état and succeeded by Muhammadu Buhari, who was appointed Chairman of a new Supreme Military Council of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces by the junta. Buhari ruled for two years, until 1985, when he was overthrown by General Ibrahim Babangida

ok

i don't know the one that is even better, being under military regine or under this slowpoke call buhari.

haba why naa

ONLY TWO THINGS CAN RESCUE NIGERIA NOW
1. NOT THE MOST BRILLIANT BUT A TOTAL COUP SHOULD BE CONSIDERED
2. RETURN OF THE POLITICALLY EDUCATED ELITES ABROAD TO LEAD












BTW THE EARTH IS FLAT AND COVERED BY A DOME (THE FIRMAMENT), NO ONE HAS EVER LEFT TGE PLANET,JESUS IS BLACK AND GOD BLESS YOU

Army don divide be that
Shoot him be for him ba shoot you

Zoo country. This is d only deceptive language u will b always hearing in d ZOO. Honestly, Nigeria na real ZOO.

I have read other news media about the purported coup and it got me thinking.

Why is Buhari a failure in leadership like this?

First time coup, second time coup. SMH

raker300:
Lol... nigeria is a joke.

Cameroonian ships are docking on Nigerian waters and all these soldiers can think of is a coup to seize power? Chai!!

What else do you want them to do
Most of these soldiers are northerners
And you know what they say about north and power ...

jieta:
i don't know the one that is even better, being under military regine or under this slowpoke call buhari.

Both scenarios are terrible
What crime did Nigeria commit to deserve Buhari

krendo:
I hope Burutai is not using the guise of military coup to entrench nepotism in the army

If there was a coup plan then the evidence has to be made public

Thank you man. This is exactly what is going on.

KidsNEXTdoor:

Both scenarios are terrible
What crime did Nigeria commit to deserve Buhari

my friend am not even understanding, then i use to hear/read criticism left and right from the media but now no body is talking everybody is just quite like people under spell.


i use to hear people like Soyinka, obasanjo and all this small political group trying to make a point or draw the government attention to some issues that need attention but now everybody is sleeping or drawing inspiration from GOD knows were.

Buhari led the coup that moved Nigeria from democracy to military rule. He deserves whatever happens to him


This coup gist is being played by tge Cabal to ensure further ethnic cleansing of the military. They have cleaned out southerners in top positions in EFCC, DSS, police and court systems.

They are cleansing the military. They want to ensure tgat there is no opposition to total take over of Nigeria

I don't know about you,but every single thing about this "story",from the caption to the body left a whole lot to be desired. The part I had a real problem was the "Military Coup Averted" part. What coup? A coup that remains a phantom? Such headline would only make sense if there had been an overt attempt at a putsch not when we are still unsure or uncertain about any thing at all. Come on Punch,you guys can do better than sensationalize just to sell papers. What manner of journalism is this? Investigate.

brutai has gone to open a military base so when the coup takes place and there is a revolt in katsina. the army there will curb it. a coup might take place this week

southerner will be the victim of this fathom coup alarm.

OK

I understand you don't want to give us tension initially but why saying it again since u clamp some of them better to be top secret ....

If u don't know it will be good news to me and some Nigeria's


At least dollars was still better in military regime and US ticket then was 25k

The only thing we gain in Democracy is Phone+Internet

No Bokoharam , Police was acting normal to some extent

Since 1999 police has being shooting innocent people so why not keep ur secret instead of still publishing it .

Is this crap meant to justify the opening of an army unit in Daura?

Enyia, anyi asaala anya.