General Lucky Irabor, the country’s Chief of Defense Staff, has stated that there is constant pressure on security forces to interfere in elections.

His remarks came on Thursday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, during the 61st Ministerial Media Briefing hosted by the Presidential Communications Team.

Irabor urged Nigerians to have faith in the country’s military officers and soldiers, saying they will remain entirely dedicated to being impartial and apolitical.

Responding to a question, the CDS said, “Of course, there will always be pressure from all quarters, wanting to induce security forces, not just the military, the security force, the police. And that’s what criminal enterprise is all about. That is what something that is wrong is all about.

“But what makes the difference is the professional approach to dealing with those issues. And that is what the military is committed to doing.”

“Now, the reason why we have ramped up our training in that regard, is sensitization; a lot of engagement across, you know, the formations and units is being undertaken.”

The CD also highlighted the military’s important successes in maintaining national security, such as increasing recruitment across the security agencies, defeating insurgency and banditry, and reducing oil theft.

Refugees who had fled the North East zone because of insurgency have begun returning home, he added, and more than 300,000 individuals have been rescued from the hands of abductors since 2014.

The Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned politicians to ease off on the pressure they’re putting on the military to rig the elections.

Council spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan called on the military’s leadership to monitor troop compliance with the legislation.

“The politicians who are putting pressure on the military should go and engage the people who will vote, they should go and sell their promises if they will be bought by them, they should stop mounting pressure on the military, they should face the electorate,” Ologbondiyan said.

YNaija