Major General MA Abdullahi (N/10208), the Commandant of the depot of the Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna State has told personnel serving in the facility to warn their families against joining the planned nationwide protest, multiple sources told SaharaReporters.
The depot is used by the army for the training of recruits.
Since its establishment in 1924, Nigerian soldiers have been trained at the facility.
A nationwide anti-inflation protest in Nigeria themed “EndBadGovernanceInNigeria” has been planned for August 1.
SaharaReporters had reported how some soldiers declared their support for Nigerians to take to the streets to protest the prevailing hardship, hunger, and bad governance.
They had claimed military personnel were also affected by bad governance.
The soldiers said the current government of Bola Tinubu and previous ones had impoverished those of them in the lower cadre.
They noted that to meet their basic financial needs, they had to sell their cars, televisions, housing properties and others.
Sources at the army training facility on Tuesday told SaharaReporters that Abdullahi told them to warn their family members living in the depot not to participate in the protest.
He also order the closure of all entrance gates into the facility from August 1st till 10th, adding that no one should be allowed to enter nor leave depot during the period.
“Maj Gen MA Abdullahi (N/10208) Commandant Depot Nigerian Army gave an order that from 1st of August 2024, all entrance gates are to be closed, no going out and no coming in,” an aggrieved soldier told SaharaReporters.
“So all staff living in the depot are now prisoners, including their family members. They are no more human beings and don’t have any right of their own.”
Another soldier added, “This is total breaches of our rights. Imagine the depot commander ordering soldiers with their families not to go outside the barracks.
“Soldiers with their families are seriously lamenting that how can they be caged by the commander, our families are civilians, they have every right for freedom of movement. So they should allow our families to go for their legitimate duties, some soldiers’ wives are government workers, essential workers and traders, so what happened if they are locked up for good 10 days.
“We need the intervention of the Chief of the Army Staff, this very commander Depot NA is long over due for him to be replaced due to his bad administration within the command generally.”
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