Group commends armed forces, says officers were professional during elections

A group known as the National Coalition for Peace in Nigeria (NCPN) has commended the officers of the Nigerian armed forces over their efforts in the 2023 elections.

Speaking at a recent press conference in Abuja, Ndubuisi Nwogu, the group’s national president, said the troops displayed an all-new level of patriotism, dedication, and service to the nation.

Nwogu described the armed forces as “the bastion of our nascent democracy” that stopped “the enemies of Nigeria” who wanted to ignite an ethnoreligious war in the country.

“It gives me great pleasure to address this press conference in commendation of the efforts of the armed forces and other security agencies in maintaining law and order during and after the just concluded general elections across the country,” he said.

“It is a statement of fact that the tension and apprehensions over the fate of the country in the keenly contested elections were palpable. So much so that we feared for the worse. But we thank God for his mercies upon Nigeria.

“The National Coalition for Peace in Nigeria recognises the efforts of critical stakeholders in ensuring that the enemies of Nigeria planned to use the apprehensions about the elections to ignite an ethnoreligious war to fulfil their long-time desire to destabilise and disintegrate the country.

“The unity of Nigeria remains sacrosanct, and this indeed has been our watchword hence the numerous advocacies to individuals, groups and religious and ethnic associations across the country. The desire for a united Nigeria continued to dominate the national discourse, which is attainable through the efforts of stakeholders, including the Nigerian military and other sister security agencies.

“We appreciate the leadership strides of the Leo Irabor, chief of defence staff, under whose leadership the Nigerian military displayed a high sense of professionalism and loyalty to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria when it matters the most. The recent seamless collaboration amongst the security agencies is a testament to one of the leadership qualities of Irabor since he assumed office as the chief of defence staff.

“As an organisation championing peace in Nigeria, we have interacted with the leadership of the Nigerian military on numerous occasions, and the pledge and commitment to preserving the country’s territorial integrity have remained unflinching.”

The group then urged the armed forces not to rest on their oars until they tackle the country’s security challenges.