EXTRA: Stop depicting us as brutal in drama skits… it affects our morale, says army

The Nigerian army has asked Nigerians to stop producing drama skits and video clips that cast the military and the security forces in a bad light.

Sagir Musa, acting director of army public relations, made the appeal in a statement on Friday.

Musa said the development has created a wrong impression of Nigerian soldiers and projected the military as “an undisciplined and brutal institution”.

“We are well trained and dedicated professionals that perform our Constitutional duties diligently and dispassionately with utmost regard for human rights and rules of engagement,” he said.

“It is wrong to continue to produce such drama skits, video clips, and graphics at the expense of the excellent image of the Nigerian soldier.

“It affects troops morale and has broad implications for national security. No nation or good citizen makes jest of its military.

“Therefore, we are appealing to well-meaning Nigerians and producers of such materials to desist forthwith.

“The military or security agencies should not be made the subject or focus of those skits at the expense of a key and strategic arm of the security architecture of our great nation.”

Musa said the authorities would investigate the source of props and costumes used for the skits and ensure that army uniforms are not used to denigrate the military.

“Some of these measures include restriction of movement, lockdown and stay at home directives which are being enforced by various government and security agencies,” he said.

“Some creative Nigerians found it expedient to provide comic relief through the production of funny jokes, graphics, drama skits, and video clips to entertain the public. The materials are circulated through social media.

“Unfortunately, most of these clips circulating on social media bordered on the Nigerian soldier and projecting the military as lawless, brutal and being harsh on people flouting the stay at home order pursuant to the lockdown and stay at home directives imposed in some states in Nigeria.”