Top Politicians Under Surveillance Over Buratai’s Alarm On Planned Coup

Military personnel have been urged by the Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai to save the nation’s democracy by not involving themselves in politics, The Nation reports.

The alarm is believed to have followed an intelligence report that some politicians, who were uncomfortable with the health of President Muhammadu Buhari, were infiltrating the military.

TY Buratai

There were no details of such infiltration in the statement, which warned officers not to hobnob with politicians.

The recent postings in the Army may have been part of the measures put in place to protect the nation’s democracy against shocks and threats, a source said.

Buratai also cautioned the unnamed politicians, who are said to have been placed under surveillance by security agencies, not to influence soldiers.

According to the source, who spoke in confidence, Gen. Buratai was disturbed that the ongoing professionalisation of the military might suffer a major setback if politicians were allowed to “infiltrate the system”.

The source said: “What Buratai did was a pre-emptive move by the military authorities as a result of intelligence report that some politicians were out to infiltrate the Armed Forces.

“The COAS decided to cry out following intelligence on the attitude of some politicians who were uncomfortable with the anxiety over the health of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

Gen. Buratai’s warning to officers was to protect democracy, stress that the Armed Forces must subjugate themselves to civilian authority, pledge the military’s loyalty to the Presidency and caution politicians that officers cannot be used for political mischief, the source said. He pleaded not to be named because he is not permitted to talk to the media.

The army chief’s suspicion of the infiltration of the military is believed to have been fuelled by the crisis in Cote D’Ivoire.

Nigeria has condemned the mutiny in Cote D’Ivoire.

“But Gen. Buratai has used his statement to reassure Nigerians and the international community that the military will not meddle in politics. This alarm has paid off, with the United Kingdom and pro-democracy groups giving their backing to the present administration.

“And his alert has worked because all the reactions have shown that Nigerians will not accept the return of the military to power,” the source said.

Responding to a question, the source added: “I think the relevant security agencies have placed some of the suspected politicians on surveillance.”