The Nigerian Army has appealed to citizens to view the Army as their own institution and to regard soldiers as their brothers, sisters, and children, fostering a stronger sense of unity and shared responsibility.

Emphasising its unwavering commitment to serving the people, the Army said it should be seen as an institution that truly belongs to all Nigerians.

The Chief of Civil-Military Affairs (CCMA), Maj.-Gen. Gold Chibuisi, made the appeal on Saturday night during a roundtable with Defence Correspondents in Abuja.

He said: “There is no army that doesn’t want itself to be seen as working for the people. We are the Nigerian Army. The Nigerian people own us. It is your army.”

The CCMA stressed the importance of public perception in strengthening national unity, noting that soldiers should be seen as brothers, sons, and neighbors, not as distant or violent enforcers.

Gen. Chibuisi shared a personal story to illustrate the lingering trust issues the military faces, recounting how an officer had to spend nine months convincing a lady to marry him due to negative perceptions of soldiers as violent.

He said: “I do not want another officer to go through that. It is a work in progress, but as we fine-tune the conduct of our personnel and deepen public engagement, things will keep improving.”

Addressing the controversial use of military uniforms by civilians, Chibuisi warned that impersonating military personnel is illegal and could endanger national security.

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

He called on the media to assist in sensitization efforts, stressing that offenders should be arrested and prosecuted, rather than subjected to extrajudicial treatment.

Earlier, the President of the Defence Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria, Ismail Musa, pledged journalists’ commitment to responsible, accurate, and balanced reportage of security matters.

“Today’s roundtable is not just for speeches; it’s a call to action. Through our work, we aim to foster a safer, more secure Nigeria,” Musa said.