Army reaffirms ban on unauthorised use of military camouflage

The Nigerian Army (NA) has reiterated that the ban on the unauthorised use of military camouflage remains in full effect.

The Director of Army Public Relations, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said this in a statement on Sunday while reacting to a video depicting a soldier molesting a civilian for wearing Army Desert Camouflage uniform.

Nwachukwu said the video footage was a stale audio-visual being circulated by individuals with malicious intent to create tension between the military and the civilian populace.

He said that only personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the Nigeria Police Force were legally permitted to wear military camouflage.

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Nwachukwu said the regulation became expedient as terrorists, insurgents, and other imposters had exploited the misuse of military camouflage to commit heinous crimes, thereby posing a significant security threat.

“The Nigerian army remains committed to upholding the law and ensuring the safety and security of all citizens.

“We urge the public to disregard the re-circulated video and to remain vigilant against attempts to sow discord and tension within the country.

“The unfortunate incident in question occurred in 2021, and the army took immediate and decisive action at that time.

“The soldier involved was arrested, tried, and appropriately punished for his unacceptable behaviour, which violated the core values of the Nigerian army, particularly the respect for others and their fundamental rights,” he said. (NAN)