Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, has taken a swipe at those threatening Nigerian military officers with a travel ban.

He spoke on Monday at a meeting with Army commanders in Abuja on the End SARS protest and violent incidents across the country.

The COAS lambasted international organisations clamouring for a ban on top personnel and soldiers over rights abuses.

“Criminal elements are threatening us with travel ban but we are not worried because we must remain in this country to make it better.

“The first time I travelled outside of this country, I was already 50 years and a General, so I don’t mind if I live the rest of my life here”, The Cable quoted him as saying.

Buratai warned that the military will not allow any agent in or outside Nigeria cause lawlessness.

The Army Chief stressed that “subversive elements, detractors and other enemies of Nigeria” will not be allowed to achieve “their aims and objectives of destabilisation”.

Buratai said recent events have shown the determination of unscrupulous individuals and groups to cause chaos in Nigeria by all means.

“These individuals, groups and other undesirable elements have hijacked the peaceful #EndSARS protest marches resulting to widespread violence, acts of wanton destruction and looting of public and private properties in many parts of the country. These acts led to the imposition of curfew in several states of the federation.”

Buratai insisted that the Army has continued to exercise restraint, apply the principles of internal security operations and fully abide by internationally recognised rules of engagement.

He said the Army’s standard operating procedures for internal security operations were “derived from international human rights laws and are in accordance with the international principles guiding the use of force”.