The Nigerian army has warned that anyone caught wearing military uniforms illegally would be arrested and prosecution, in line with the law.
The Chief of Civil-Military Affairs, (Army) Maj. Gen. Gold Chibuisi, sounded the warning
during a media chat with defence correspondents on Saturday night in Abuja.
He said while it is unlawful for non-military personnel to wear military attire, the Nigerian Army does not condone violence against offenders.
“It is against the law of the land. If you are not in the armed forces, please don’t use our uniform, whether you love it or not.
“If our troops encounter anyone dressed in military camouflage, they are to get the person to remove it, arrest them, and hand them over to the police for prosecution.
“All these other things that come with it -like assault, are not right”, Chibuisi said.
He however, said soldiers have no right to harass any civilian caught wearing the military uniform.
According to him, several soldiers had been sanctioned for mishandling civilians found in military gear.
He added that professionalism must guide all enforcement actions.
Chibuisi appealed to the public to respect the military uniform, warning that the increasing misuse of military apparel by criminals was making it harder for citizens and security agencies to distinguish genuine soldiers from impostors.
“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 queried.
He also called on families and communities to discourage the illegal wearing of military uniforms at home and in public spaces.
Chibuisi said, “If somebody you know is not in the military and comes out wearing our uniform to jog or drive somewhere, tell him not to”.
