The Nigerian Army has warned that civilians found wearing military camouflage or uniforms without authorization risk being arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

This was disclosed by the Chief of Civil-Military Affairs (Army), Major General Gold Chibuisi, during a media briefing with defence correspondents on Saturday night in Abuja.

Chibuisi emphasized that the Nigerian Army strongly condemns the illegal use of military uniforms by civilians and reiterated that such actions are a violation of Nigerian law. However, he cautioned that enforcement must remain professional, warning soldiers against assaulting offenders.

“If our troops encounter anyone dressed in military camouflage, they are to get the person to remove it, arrest them, and hand them over to the police for prosecution. All these other things that come with it — like assault — are not right,” Chibuisi said.

He noted that some soldiers have been sanctioned for misconduct during enforcement operations, adding that professionalism must guide all interactions with civilians.

Chibuisi further raised concerns over the misuse of military attire by criminals, which, he said, has made it difficult to differentiate genuine soldiers from impostors. “Currently, there are a lot of criminals using military garb to perpetrate crime,” he said.

He appealed to the public, families, and communities to discourage the illegal use of military uniforms, even for casual purposes such as jogging or driving.

In his closing remarks, Chibuisi reminded Nigerians that the Army belongs to the people and is committed to serving them. He also highlighted ongoing efforts to improve civil-military relations through sensitisation campaigns and improved conduct among personnel.

“We are fine-tuning the conduct of our personnel, and I believe that as we continue to interact, the relationship will keep improving,” he added.