Military High Command reads riot act to soldiers

The Defence High Command on Thursday expressed readiness to deal with any military personnel caught extorting motorists along the highways.
Rear Admiral James Oluwole, the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command (FOC), Calabar, gave the warning at a sensitisation campaign for members of the Armed Forces on value re-orientation.
The FOC, who was represented by Rear Adm. Obi Ofodile, the command’s Chief of Staff, said that the duty of military men on the highways was to provide security for motorists.
He said that the campaign was organised by the Defence Headquarters to achieve accountability, transparency and dedication to service with a view to complementing `the Change Mantra’ of the present administration.
According to him, the objective of the orientation is to instil discipline, attitudinal change, patriotism and restore the value systems and dedication to service.
“If any military personnel extorts money from motorists along the highways and the matter is brought before the notice of the authorities of the Armed Forces, that matter will be dealt with decisively.
“We will not condone that because we all know the basic expectations in the Armed Forces; what you are supposed to do and what you are not supposed to do.
“Mr President has launched the `Change Begins With Me Campaign’ to correct so many things that have gone wrong. The idea of the campaign is to bring us back to our values in our various work places.’’
Brig.-Gen. Bulama Biu, Commander, 13 Brigade Nigeria Army, Calabar, said that the Armed Forces had imbibed the `Change Mantra’ of the present administration.
Biu said that the Armed Forces was ready to deliver the dividends of security to the civil populace, adding that the present administration attachED so much priority to issues of security.
One of the facilitators of the workshop, Maj.-Gen. O.S. Adeosun (rtd), said it was aimed at building a bridge between the military and the government.