Commander Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto

Military personnel in Lautoka have been ordered to leave their weapons in camp when they’re out on patrol within the Central Business District.

FBC News approached Republic of Fiji Military Force Commander Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto for clarification after armed personnel were seen outside the Fiji National Provident Fund office in Lautoka this morning.

Naupoto says he has directed personnel who are assisting police in the COVID-19 operations to not be armed at any time.

“I apologize to the member of the public to the members of the public if we have created an undue anxiety this morning but be assured that they won’t be armed, as of now you won’t see anybody armed there.”

The RFMF Commander says they is assisting in multiple operations in relation to crowd control and other situations which the Fiji Police Force is in charge of.

The military commander has confirmed to FBC News that RFMF personnel are now positioned at strategic locations to guard national assets such as water reservoirs.

“We are also doing operation where we are patrolling all our vital assets, water, Reservoir, telecommunication line etc. That operation those people there are armed.”

He says his men and women have been given permission to carry arms at these sites to protect from sabotage.

Meanwhile, the National Federation Party claims the presence of armed soldiers trying to control unarmed and harmless ordinary workers who are members of Fiji National Provident Fund trying to source their own funds in this depressed economic climate is intimidation and thuggery.