Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed strong disapproval of a recent incident involving Seyi Tinubu, President Bola Tinubu’s son, who received military honours during a visit to Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Atiku referred to the incident as a “gross violation of military tradition” and demanded that the situation be looked into right now.
“It is with utter dismay and concern that Nigerians were subjected to a nauseating video circulating online, where a group of young men, armed and in full military procession, bestowed upon the President’s son unwarranted military honours,” Atiku said in a statement issued by his media adviser, Paul Ibe.
The incident in question is a viral video of Seyi Tinubu getting a quarter guard salute from people dressed in military gear.
The “Nigeria Cadet Network,” as the group is known, is not acknowledged by the Nigerian Armed Forces. Atiku noted that the credibility of the country’s armed forces is compromised when unauthorised people use military emblems.
Additionally, Defence Headquarters has disassociated itself from the incident, stating that the individuals involved are not Nigerian military personnel. The Director of Defence Information Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau said: “They are not our personnel. We don’t dress that way. We don’t have this type of badge of rank We don’t know them.”Â
Atiku has emphasised the significance of upholding the integrity and professionalism of Nigeria’s military traditions and called on pertinent security agencies to conduct a comprehensive probe into the occurrence.
He cautioned that any legal infractions should be dealt with immediately to keep the public’s confidence in the country’s security agencies from declining.
