Former Chief of Army Staff, retired Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai says coup should be seen as an organised crime and punished accordingly to allow democracy to survive in Africa.
He said this at a one-day International Conference on Organised Crimes by the Tukur Buratai Centre for Contemporary Security Affairs, Igbenedion University, Okada, on Tuesday in Abuja.
Mr Buratai, a former Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, said the battle against organised crime requires concerted efforts of experts, policymakers, and stakeholders from diverse sectors.
He said the contemporary challenges had shown that the military must continue to play its constitutional role without getting involved in governance, while democratic governments should govern the citizens well.
He said the military had been at the receiving end because of the attrition rate. He added that the craving for democracy now required the military to perform its constitutional role rather than get directly involved with governance.
“The politicians and the military should try to avoid being influenced externally to disrupt the democratic process in the country,” he added.
The former army chief said the causes of organised crime in the Sahel, particularly in Nigeria, were multifaceted, adding that porous borders remained a primary contributing factor.
He also said the easy movement of criminals and illegal goods across national boundaries and the prolonged conflicts in countries like Somalia, DR Congo, Libya, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Sudan directly impacted the rise of organised crime.
“In Nigeria, organised crime has taken various forms, reflecting the country’s socio-economic challenges and political landscape,” the former army chief said.