Breaking: You have betrayed us - Nigerian Army replies INEC over Rivers election violence
By Eromosele Ebhomele
The Nigerian Army, in the evening
of Monday, March 18, said it was betrayed by the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) over its alleged role in the violence that engulfed Rivers
state during the 2019 general election. The Nigerian Army insisted that its men
were professional during their outing in Rivers state. In a statement by
Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, the Army spokesperson, the security body further said it
was surprised that after meeting with the committee that visited Rivers state
on a fact-finding mission, INEC still went ahead to indict its men. The
Nigerian Army, which said its position to the fact-finding committee were not
reflected in the report, also urged the police to go ahead with its
investigation into the clash between men of the two security bodies. Read the
full statement by the Nigerian Army below:
a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Headquarters 6
Division Nigerian Army (NA) has observed with dismay and sense of betrayal in
the statement made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
signed by its national commissioner and chairman information and voter
education committee, Festus Okoye (Esq), on 15 March 2019. The statement
according to INEC was the findings of its fact-finding committee that assessed
the situation in Rivers state. It is however pertinent to note that,
representatives of the 6 division met with the fact-finding committee on
Tuesday, 12 March, 2019, at the INEC headquarters in Port Harcourt and had
honest discussions and made a written submission to aid the committee in its
task. Regrettably, none of the division’s input form any of the findings of
INEC as made public. This clearly indicates lack of trust by an institution
that the NA sacrifices so much to assist in the course of performing their
role. Genesis of the suspension of governorship/state House of Assembly
elections process in Rivers state What INEC failed to mention or even consider
is the fact that at about 10:30 pm on Saturday, 9th March, 2019, troops of 6
Division NA detailed at the outer perimeter of Obio/Akpor local government
headquarters collation center were brazenly attacked by Governor Wike’s
security aides and armed thugs who stormed the collation center with the
governor in a convoy of more than 50 vehicles while collation of results was
going on. In the ensuing melee, Captain Adams Salami was shot at close range by
the security aides of Governor Wike while Corporal Adeosun Adebayo was
matcheted by Governor Wike’s thugs. Both victims are currently receiving
treatment at University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) intensive
care unit and Military Hospital Port Harcourt respectively with life
threatening injuries. Thereafter, election materials were carted away and
electoral officials abducted by the Governor’s thugs to an unknown destination.
This was made known to the INEC fact-finding committee but INEC does not see it
worth condemning or mention in its report. Consequently, after due
consultations and considerations between 6 Division and the Rivers state police
command on Sunday, the 10th of March 2019, the Rivers state police command, on
their own, - took the initiative to invite the media to the hospitals where the
two victims are receiving treatment and thereafter to host a press conference
on the matter with the view to dissociate itself from the unprofessional
conduct exhibited by their men attached to Wike and tell the public what
disciplinary action the command will take or is already taking. However, while
the visit to the victims was accomplished and the two victims interviewed by
the media, the press conference was aborted by the police after journalists
have been assembled. Coincidentally, a rescheduled press conference on the
matter was also aborted on Thursday, the 14th of March, 2019. Most disheartening
is that while the Rivers state police command accepts the involvement of their
personnel in the attack at Obio/Akpor LG headquarters, till date those
personnel have not at least been reprimanded. To this end, - in the
circumstance, - the 6 division NA as a stakeholder in the 2019 general
elections takes exception to the lopsided and therefore unfair INEC report and
is hereby strongly and totally rejected by the NA. The division is equally
disappointed with the attitude exhibited by the Nigerian police in this regard
and hereby request the police leadership to commence full scale investigation
of those security aides to Governor Wike that attacked troops at the Obio/Akpor
LG headquarters collation centre and shot at Capt AA Salami with a view to
appropriately sanction those found responsible/culpable. Until that is done,
Headquarters 6 Division NA will have to review all existing joint activities
with the Rivers state police command. Legit.ng earlier reported that the
Bayelsa deputy governor, retired Rear Admiral John Jonah, urged Nigerians not
to blame the Army for its involvement in the elections. Jonah said this on
Saturday, March 16, at Elebele in Yenogoa, during the inauguration of some
projects in the 16 Brigade Barracks otherwise known as 'Tukur Buratai Camp'
located in the community. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded
to serve you better. Read more:
https://www.legit.ng/1228214-breaking-you-betrayed-nigerian-army-replies-inec-rivers-election-violence.html
No comments:
Post a Comment
please no insults