The Nigerian Army has dismissed allegations contained in a trending video alleging that the establishment of the Nigerian Army School of Islamic Affairs is part of plans to Islamise the military and destroy the country.
A trending video had recalled that the initiation of such policies in countries such as Turkey and Libya resulted in crisis they are still reeling from, urging the Army to focus on the fight against insecurity, bandits and terrorists as well as defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity and secularism rather than allegedly diverting from its mandate of securing the country and its territorial integrity and being a force that is supposed to be a force of unity in a secular country.
The Army Headquarters (AHQ), in a statement on Tuesday in response to the viral video said: “The Nigerian Army has been notified of a misleading viral report suggesting that the NA only runs a School of Islamic Affairs, ignoring other faith.
“The viral report also made futile effort to portray the NA as exclusively encouraging religious bigotry among its personnel.
“Considering the gravity of this falsehood, the NA wishes to categorically state that this propaganda in its entirety is dead on arrival as it clearly does not reflect the values of our esteemed institution.
“The Nigerian Army is a secular organisation that upholds the principle of religious freedom for all its personnel and ensures that personnel irrespective of ranks is free to practice their religions without any form of bias or endorsement of a specific religion.
“Our unwavering commitment to secularism guarantees that religious diversity is respected and accommodated, allowing soldiers to observe their faith without hindrance to their duties.
“For clarity, the NA operates multiple religious training institutions to cater to the diverse faiths of our personnel.
“In addition to the Nigerian Army School of Islamic Affairs located in NA Cantonment Ikeja, Lagos, the NA also has the Nigerian Army Protestant Training School in Yaba and the Nigerian Army Chaplain Catholic Training School in Ojo Cantonment.
“These schools frequently engage in interfaith collaborations, promoting unity and cohesion among our diverse members.
“Our dedication to secularism is aimed at fostering a professional and inclusive environment, where individuals can serve their country without fear of religious discrimination or bias.
“This approach ensures that all officers and soldiers can practice their beliefs in a supportive and respectful setting.
“The NA remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the values of secularism and religious freedom, ensuring that all personnel can serve with dignity and respect for their individual beliefs.”
