Give Soldiers Chance to Vote, Army Urges INEC

The Theater Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Christopher Musa, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to fashion out a way to allow troops on the front line to exercise their franchise during elections in the country.

Musa explained that since it was impossible for troops to vote on election day as they were expected to be on duty, they should be allowed to vote a day before the election as done in other countries.

While stressing that soldiers and other security operatives were entitled to vote just like other Nigerians, urged INEC to find a lasting solution to the challenge.

He said, “ Everyone is entitled to vote. It’s just that it’s not well sorted out in Nigeria. In some other climes, the military and security vote a day before everyone else. This is so that they will be able to concentrate on their duties the following day. If that is done for troops, it would be fine.

Our problem here is that we are always on duty when there is an election. And you can’t wear uniforms to go and vote. That should be sorted out by the independent national electoral Commission (INEC).

I believe even the new system would eliminate so many fears of anomalies which cause inhibitions,” he said in an interview with a local newspaper, Metro Watch.

On ongoing military operations against terrorism, Musa lamented that despite warnings, some residents were giving tacit support to the terrorists by supplying them with food and other logistics.

He added, “Some people still do business with the insurgents and this should stop. It is annoying. Those people are ready to buy a bag of rice for as much as N60,000 if they get their hands on it and we are saying don’t give them.

“A litre of petrol can be bought for as much as N10,000 per litre. So, you can see the attraction a lot. They still rustle cattle and bring the same to our markets through third parties. We have seen women sneaking in with items in their body parts to go sell to them. All these are the challenges we want residents to stop doing with them. All those business people thinking they are making money, you are making blood money because they are using it to kill other people.”