Nigeria’s former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Sunday condemned the recent military parade in honour of Seyi Tinubu, President Bola Tinubu’s son, calling for a thorough investigation into the incident.

Atiku, who was the presidential candidate of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, said the “full military honour” accorded Seyi Tinubu was a gross violation of military tradition.

The former Vice President was reacting to a video that surfaced online about a week ago, which showed what appeared to be a military parade in honour of Seyi Tinubu.

In the video, Seyi Tinubu is seen receiving a salute from the quarter guard on his arrival at an event in Abeokuta, Ogun State. He later inspected the quarter guards.

After the video sparked outrage among Nigerians, a group, Community Auxiliary Development & Effective Transformation Network (CADET Network), claimed responsibility for the parade and explained that the uniformed men seen in the parade are not officers of the Nigerian Army and that the group has no affiliation whatsoever with the Nigerian Army and does not use the military ranking structure.

But Atiku, in a statement released by his media office on Sunday, expressed outrage over the event, calling it an aberration for any branch of the Armed Forces to organize a formal parade for a non-designated public figure.

“It is with utter dismay and concern that Nigerians were subjected to a nauseating video circulating online, where a group of young men, armed and in full military procession, bestowed upon the President’s son unwarranted military honours,” Atiku said in the statement signed by his media adviser, Paul Ibe.

He further questioned the legitimacy of the military-like outfit involved, stating that the so-called group, the “Nigeria Cadet Network”, is not a recognized entity within the Nigerian Armed Forces. He emphasized the disturbing fact that the name “Cadet”, associated with young, formally trained military personnel, was exploited by civilians to tarnish the esteemed traditions of the military.

“In an effort to uncover the truth behind this shameless procession, we instructed our legal team and military experts to investigate the so-called ‘Nigeria Cadet Network’. To no one’s surprise, it was revealed that the group is not a legally registered entity,” Atiku noted.

“What is even more alarming is the brazen use of firearms by civilians in this so-called parade — at a time when illegal arms proliferation is at a dangerous high in our country,” he said.

He called for an urgent investigation by all relevant security agencies to address the legitimacy of the “Nigeria Cadet Network” and its use of the title “Cadet” when it is not a registered entity, the origin and legality of the firearms displayed by members of the “Nigeria Cadet Network”, and the propriety of the military honours granted to the President’s son by non-commissioned civilians under the protection of security personnel.

The former Vice President stressed that preserving the integrity of the Nigerian Armed Forces was paramount.

“If it is determined that any legal violations were committed by the President’s son or members of the so-called ‘Nigeria Cadet Network’, it is the constitutional duty of Nigerian security agencies to ensure that the law takes its course and those responsible are held accountable,” he said.