Rivers Govt. drops murder charges against factional APC chairman

As a major step in his promise of working with all stakeholders
to ensure that peace reigns Rivers, Governor Nyesom Wike on Tuesday
directed the withdrawal of murder charges against the State
Chairman of Amaechi’s faction of All Progressives Congress, Hon
Ojukaye Flag Amachree.

The State High Court 2, presided over by Justice J N Akpughunum
struck out the charges following the presentation of a Nolli
Prosqui filed by the State Attorney General, Zacheas Adangor;
through the prosecuting counsel, Godwin Obla SAN.

Godwin Obla said the State has no interest in the matter and
filed to discontinue the case.

Accordingly, Justice J. N. Akpughunum, struck out the
matter.

Responding, Emenike Ebete, lawyer to Ojukaye Amachree said, with
thE development, his client has no case to answer.

It will be recalled that the governor had after he was declared
winner of the state governorship election promised to work with all
interest groups to ensure that there is peace in the state.

He said the state stood to benefit more if all leaders are
united.

The governor specifically urged Amaechi, the leader of the APC
in the state, to team up with him in developing the state.

He said: “Although the present politics of acrimony and
bitterness may have strayed from the noble path of the past, I
still believe that we shall be better if standing and working
together for our state and our people.

”I therefore appeal to the APC and the Minister of
Transportation to join hands with us to move our dear state
forward. We cannot as leaders continue to remain divided and expect
government to deliver on its responsibilities to our people. Let us
from henceforth seek the common ground instead of allowing our
differences to be exploited to retard our march to progress.

”I appeal to our people to eschew all acts of acrimony,
criminality, unrest, and violence throughout the state. I wish to
recommit myself to continue to do all that is humanly possible to
ensure the unity and peaceful co-existence of all our people,
irrespective of political affiliation”.

Wike directed the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice
to review all pending criminal cases linked to politics before the
2019 elections and make necessary recommendations to promote
reconciliation.

He said: “I hereby direct the Honourable Attorney-General and
Commissioner for Justice to review all pending criminal proceedings
filed against any person by the state and directly related to
political activities prior to the 2019 general elections and make
appropriate recommendations to me for necessary action to promote
reconciliation among us.”

The governor pledged to run an inclusive government aimed at
promoting the state.

He said: “Today, I recommit myself to be the Governor for all
the people of Rivers State for the next four years. Accordingly, we
shall form an all-inclusive government to advance the collective
interest of all our people, irrespective of party, ethnic or
religious affiliations.

At press time ,Ojukaye Flag Amachree has not reacted, perhaps
because there is another murder case against him in another
court.

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DHQ Denies Report of Premature Retirement of
Christian-Military Officers

The Defence Headquarters has noted with dismay a mischievous and
systematic campaign of calumny against the government through
spurious and unfounded allegations of lopsided recruitment,
postings, appointments and retirements of military personnel by the
Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN).

Specifically, by an obscure online blog owned by one Sola Kuti
which he christened “SK Blog.” The blogger without recourse to any
effort of finding out the truth, accused the Nigerian Army of
systematic retirement of over 200 officers from particular
geo-political zone and religious group in the first quarter 2019
and secret recruitment into the services, without giving further
details. Ordinarily, one should not bother about it because it is
not true and born out of the figment of the writer’s imagination.
However, it is imperative to correct the erroneous impression being
created in the mind of some members of the public.

Therefore, it is important to reiterate that postings,
appointments and retirements in the military are routine activities
and common public knowledge. Every officer, soldier, rating, airman
or woman on commission or enlistment into the Services look forward
to an exciting, adventurous and rewarding career in the Armed
Forces and most importantly knows exactly when he or she is due to
retire. Officers, soldiers, ratings, airmen and women are not only
conscious of this but look forward to it. Personnel often retire
based on age on rank or length of Service. In the event of
approaching retirement, the affected person or persons are given
adequate notice and also prepared for life after Service through
training programmes at either the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, or
Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, Oshodi. Therefore, it is
irresponsible for anyone to allege that such exercises were
targeted at a particular ethnic group or religion.

Similarly, recruitment and enlistment into the Armed Forces of
Nigeria have always been made known to the public and follows
transparent and well known procedures that are in line with best
practices. We expected the writer to make effort of finding out the
truth before misleading unsuspecting members of the public through
such publication. He should have taken advantage of the various
public affairs departments of the Services to enquire about such
issues. Although we are not mindful of the fact that such write-ups
are sponsored by some obviously unpatriotic and ignorant elements,
it is instructive to state that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain
the cohesive and bastion of national unity and no amount of
campaign of calumny would change that. Such things are alien and
blasphemous in the military.

More also, the allegation of “unease and disquiet in the
military formation” is not only untrue, but sheer mischief.

The public is implored to please disregard such insinuations as
there are proper career plan and progression in the military,
therefore, there is such thing like premature retirement or
deliberate attempt to cleanse a particular ethnic or religious
group in any of the Services.

ONYEMA NWACHUKWU
Colonel
Acting Director Defence Information