Nigerian Army
Rivers Election:
Nigerian Army
Rivers Election: Nigerian Army Blasts INEC, Police over
Report
Headquarters 6 Division Nigerian Army (NA) have 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
2 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 2 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 Center 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.
You are kindly requested to disseminate this information to the
general public. Thank you for your usual cooperation
AMINU ILIYASU
Colonel
Deputy Director Army Public Relations
18 March 2019