The Chief of Civil-Military Affairs (Army), Maj. Gen. Gold Chibuisi, has stated that civilians caught wearing military uniforms illegally will risk arrest and legal consequences, in line with Nigerian law.
He reaffirmed that although it is illegal for non-military personnel to wear military camouflage, the Nigerian Army does not support violence against violators.
“It is against the law of the land. If you are not in the armed forces, please don’t use our uniform, whether you love it or not,” Chibuisi said. “If our troops encounter anyone dressed in military camouflage, they are to get the person to remove it, arrest them, and hand them over to the police for prosecution. All these other things that come with it — like assault — are not right.”
Chibuisi urged people to respect the military uniform, cautioning that it was becoming more difficult for the public and security services to tell real troops from fakes due to the growing abuse of military gear by criminals.
Chibuisi said the Army was stepping up its public and troop sensitisation activities to encourage improved civil-military relations as part of continuous efforts to build trust.
“Currently, there are a lot of criminals using military garb to perpetrate crime. If people keep dressing like that, how do you differentiate between a criminal and a genuine soldier?” he queried.
