The Nigerian Army has explained why civilians cannot use military uniforms in whatever guise.

It said wearing military uniforms is a crime, which could attract jail terms.

Army’s Chief of Civil-Military Affairs (CCMA), Major.-Gen. Gold Chibuisi, made the clarification on Saturday night during a media chat with Defence correspondents in Abuja.

The CCMA noted that respecting the uniform is an important part of strengthening national security and building trust between the military and the public.

Gen. Chibuisi said the misuse of military attire by unauthorized persons not only violates the law but also aids criminal activities.

He said: “I am a bit surprised that most briefs we give in our programmes, we always talk about this issue of uniform because it keeps recurring.

“It is against the law of the land. If you are not in the armed forces or the security agencies, to use their uniform — whether you love it or not — is a crime.

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“If you like the military, join the military. “Don’t wear our uniform if you are not one of us.”

The CCMA stressed that the law must be respected to maintain the integrity and safety of the Armed Forces.

Highlighting the security risks, Chibuisi noted that criminals increasingly exploit military uniforms to commit crimes, making it harder for civilians and security agencies to identify genuine soldiers.

“Currently, there are a lot of criminals using military garb to perpetrate crime,” he said. “If people keep dressing like that, how do you differentiate between a criminal and a genuine soldier?”

Gen. Chibuisi explained that soldiers are trained to arrest civilians caught wearing military gear and hand them over to the police for prosecution.

“All these other things that come with it — harassment or rough handling those caught— are not right. And we are doing sensitization on them. The soldiers that we get evidence against, we always sanction them sternly,” he said.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has ordered a clampdown on unregistered hospitals and quack medical personnel operating within the territory.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the Minister warned, “Henceforth, anyone found to be operating or working in an unregistered health facility should be arrested and prosecuted.”

According to the statement, Wike issued the directive following the death of a 35-year-old pregnant woman, Chekwube Chinagorom, after a caesarean section at Afolmi Hospital, a private, unregistered facility located in Durumi, Abuja.

The statement described the incident as unfortunate, stressing that despite the free registration of pregnant women into the Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Scheme, many still patronise unsafe health facilities.

“In the FCT, vulnerable persons, including pregnant women, enjoy free enrollment into the FHIS, which allows them free access, through the Primary Health Care Centres, to all services covered in the Basic Minimum Package of Health Services,” Olayinka said.

He further noted that several hospitals in the FCT, including Gwarinpa, Nyanya, Abaji, and Kuje General Hospitals, have been designated as Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care centres, offering cesarean sections free of charge.

“Our pregnant women are once again urged to take advantage of this free health insurance scheme and stop visiting quack medical personnel and unregistered health facilities,” Olayinka added.

According to the statement, Chinagorom was brought in dead to Asokoro District Hospital after undergoing a caesarean section at Afolmi Hospital. While she died, her baby was delivered alive and referred to Asokoro Hospital for care.

An investigation by the Private Health Establishments Registration and Monitoring Committee revealed that Afolmi Hospital was not duly registered. During inspection, only one staff member, Mr. Simon Elisha Godiya, a Junior Community Health Extension Worker, was found on duty.

“Mr. Godiya reported that the surgical operation was performed by one Murtala Jumma in conjunction with another unidentified individual. All attempts to reach Murtala Jumma via phone were unsuccessful.

“Shortly after the PHERMC team arrived at the facility, a detachment of officers from the Nigeria Police, Durumi Divisional Headquarters, also arrived. The case was immediately handed over to the Police for further investigation.

“The officer in charge requested that the PHERMC team accompany them to the station to formally record the incident, and the team complied accordingly.

“The Nigeria Police is currently assisting in identifying the individuals responsible for the surgery, verifying their qualifications, and investigating the circumstances that led to the death of the late Chekwube Chinagorom at Afolmi Hospital,” the statement added.