The Nigerian Army, on Sunday, warned civilians against wearing military camouflage, reiterating that it remains illegal.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, stated that the wearing of military camouflage was banned because terrorists and impostors often exploited the misuse of military camouflage.
He explained that this regulation was put in place to prevent the misuse of military attire for committing heinous crimes against unsuspecting members of the public, thereby posing a significant security threat.
Nwachukwu emphasized that only personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the Nigeria Police Force are legally permitted to wear military camouflage.
He added that the Nigerian Army remains committed to upholding the law and ensuring the safety and security of all citizens.
In response to a trending video showing a soldier assaulting a civilian wearing a desert camouflage uniform, Nwachukwu clarified that the video was old and dated back to 2021.
In the footage, two soldiers were seen dragging and beating a young man in camouflage with a belt and cane.
According to Nwachukwu, the incident had been appropriately dealt with at the time, and the soldier involved was arrested, tried, and punished for his unacceptable behavior, which violated the core values of the Nigerian Army, particularly respect for others and their fundamental rights.
The Nigerian Army wishes to clarify that this video footage is an old audio-visual being recirculated by individuals or content creators who are either bereft of content or have malicious intent to create tension between the military and the civilian populace.
