The Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle has directed the military and Nigeria Police to strictly enforce the ban on use of camouflage uniform.
A statement by Henshaw Ogubike the
Director (Information, Press& Public Relations) of Defence ministry said Dr. Matawalle stated that the readiness of the Nigeria Armed Forces and the Nigeria Police to enforce the directive given by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu must be given immediate attention by enforcing the directive immediately.
Recall that a circular titled “Observation on Proliferation in the Use of Camouflage Uniforms by Other Security Agencies in Nigeria,” personally signed by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, mandated personnel of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and the Federal Fire Service, among others, to discontinue the use of camouflage uniforms henceforth.”
Stating that the directive issued by ONSA means immediate cessation of the use of camouflage uniforms by para-military agencies, the minister said that it was only the Armed Forces and the Nigeria Police Force while on Joint Operation with the military are allowed by law to use the Military camouflage uniform.
He said that the lingering insecurity situation in the country where criminals disguised as military and para – military personnel to cause havoc in the society
must be checked.
“The present situation does not support the use of military camouflage by people who are not authorized or not personnel of DHQ'” he said.
According to him, the criminals among us have had to take advantage of the military, police and other security agencies’ gears to perpetrate crimes.
The Minister emphasized that there was the need to streamline the personnel that are authorized to use the military camouflage.
He said government ban place on other para Military Agencies from the use of the military camouflage was to bring sanity to the system and also as a way of checkmating criminal activities.
The Minister emphasised that only the personnel of Armed Forces namely: Army, Navy , Air Force can use the military camouflage while personnel of Nigerian Police Force can only use it when on joint operation with the Military.
He said the enforcement of the ban becomes imperative in view of the security implications and concerns raised on the clamour of duplicity and proliferation in the country.
He stressed the importance of this caution saying that: “The measure is aimed at check mating crime rate in Nigeria, adding that if we identify those that are authorized to use the camouflage, we can quickly differentiate them from criminals that intend to confuse us,” he said.
Dr. Matawalle said that henceforth extant laws guiding the use of camouflage uniform in Nigeria would strictly be enforced.