The Nigerian Army has described as untrutj and misleading a viral report that portrayed it as only running a School of Islamic Affairs, ignoring other faiths.
Director, Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, made this correction in a statement on Monday 8 July in Abuja.
Nwachukwu said the viral report also made a futile effort to portray the army as exclusively encouraging religious bigotry among its personnel.
He said: “Considering the gravity of this falsehood, the Nigerian army wishes to categorically state that this propaganda in its entirety is dead on arrival as it clearly does not reflect the values of our esteemed institution.
“The Nigerian army is a secular organisation that upholds the principle of religious freedom for all its personnel and ensures that personnel irrespective of ranks is free to practice their religions without any form of bias or endorsement of a specific religion.
“Our unwavering commitment to secularism guarantees that religious diversity is respected and accommodated, allowing soldiers to observe their faith without hindrance to their duties.”
Nwachukwu said the Army had been operating multiple religious training institutions to cater to the diverse faiths of its personnel.
According to him, in addition to the Nigerian Army School of Islamic Affairs located in Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos, it also has the Nigerian Army Protestant Training School in Yaba, Lagos and the Nigerian Army Chaplain Catholic Training School in Ojo Cantonment, also in Lagos.
He said the schools “frequently engage in interfaith collaborations, promoting unity and cohesion among our diverse members.”
The Army spokesman said the service’s dedication to secularism was aimed at fostering a professional and inclusive environment, where individuals could serve their country without fear of religious discrimination or bias.
This approach, according to him, ensures that all officers and soldiers can practice their beliefs in a supportive and respectful setting.
Nwachukwu added: “The Nigerian army remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the values of secularism and religious freedom, ensuring that all personnel can serve with dignity and respect for their individual beliefs.
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