The GOC 6 Division of the Nigerian Army used the All Progressive Congress,<\/p>\n
APC, email account to send out a Press Release on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The action confirms allegations by Governor Nyesome Wike of Rivers State
\nthat the Nigerian Army and other security agencies have all colluded with
\nthe Independent National Elecoral Commission, INEC, to rig the Rivers
\nrerun elections in favor of the APC.<\/p>\n
The Army email, a copy which was sent to pointblanknews.com was sent via
\napcrivers@yahoo.com<\/p>\n
The email reads:
\nPRESS RELEASE BY GOC 6 DIVISION NIGERIAN ARMY<\/p>\n
1. The alleged killing and mass arrest by soldiers in Tai, Ogoni,
\nGokhna-Ogoni\u00a0 LGA
\nof Rivers State were false. It is true that soldiers of 6 Division
\nNigerian Army
\nprovided security during the Rivers State Legislative Re-run Election that
\nwas
\nconducted today. In addition, the allegations made by some respected
\npoliticians
\nregarding deep involvement of soldiers during the elections were aimed at
\ntarnishing
\nthe positive image of the Army.
\n2. These people allegedly accused soldiers of ballot box snatching,
\nillegal escorts
\nof some politicians, arrest and detention of voters during the general
\nconduct of
\nthe elections. The weighty nature of these allegations could cause members
\nof the
\npublic to view soldiers negatively, hence the need to adequately inform
\nthe general
\npublic on the true perspective.\u00a0 The public thus need to consider them as
\nmere farce
\nto garner public sympathy.
\n3. The 6 Division, Nigerian Army remained apolitical in the conduct of the
\nelection.
\nIts soldiers provided perimeter defence to ward off hoodlums and miscreants.
\nNigerian Army troops were in no way involved in any form of ballot box
\nsnatching,
\nneither were they involved in the escort of politicians as alleged.\u00a0 They
\nacted
\nswiftly in response to security breaches in order to enforce the law,
\nprovide aid to
\nthe Nigeria Police and other security agencies especially in areas like
\nAbonema,
\nEtche, Gokhana, Ikwere, Eleme, Tai, Khana and Omoku amongst others.
\nSusceptibility
\nof mentioned areas warranted providing security for the electoral
\nofficials, voters,
\ninternational and local observers, in conjunction with other security
\nagencies by
\nsoldiers for a peaceful election to thrive in the environment.
\n4. These areas were rift with armed men that engaged security personnel.
\nIn Gokhana,
\narmed hoodlums engaged the soldiers providing outer perimeter defence for the
\nelectorates. In Abonema at 0730 hours today, there were 3 explosions that
\ncreated
\nbedlam. Subsequently, 11 NYSC members were abducted along with electoral
\nmaterials.
\nHowever, 10 of them were rescued 2 hrs later by the soldiers while one was
\nrescued
\nabout 8hrs later.
\n5. At Emouha, Mr Oblewaremu abducted 5 NYSC members with election
\nmaterials in a
\nSiena bus. The corps members were rescued while the suspect was handed
\nover to the
\nPolice. Several shooting were recorded in some communities such as Bodo,
\nthe home
\ntown of the secretary to the State Government, B-dere and Mogho in Gokhana
\nLGA,
\nincluding snatching of ballot boxes. The most brutal incidence occurred at
\nUjju
\nCommunity near Omoku in Onelga where police patrol team was ambushed. In
\nthe ambush,
\n10 policemen scampered into the bush.
\n6. The Mobile Police organized a rescue mission. Regrettably, the team
\ndiscovered
\nthat DSP Alkali Mohammed of Mobile Police Unit 48 was beheaded along with his
\norderly. The patrol vehicle was taken away with weapons, 3 policemen
\nescaped while 5
\nwere missing in action. This is the same area where soldiers of 34 Brigade
\nwere
\nambushed on 20 November 2016 where a soldier was killed. Also on 21
\nNovember 2016, 4
\npersonnel of NSCDC were killed and their weapons carted away. These
\nattacks are
\nreasonable evidence of violations of breach of law and order which portray
\nthe area
\nas a flash point. Despite these\u00a0 barbarism,\u00a0 soldiers acted with civility and
\nprofessionally guaranteeing peaceful election.
\n7. Nigerian Army as a respected institution with constitutional
\nresponsibility to
\nsafeguard lives and property, could not watch miscreants and hoodlums
\nabducting,
\nmaiming and killing innocent citizens especially in senseless attacks on
\nuniform
\npersonnel. The Rivers State Re-Run Election was adjudged credible, free,
\nfair and
\npeaceful in many parts of the State. Accusations of soldiers partisanship
\ntherefore
\nwas sham and phony. The Division would continue to maintain apolitical
\nposture in
\ndischarge of its roles to ensure provision of adequate security in Rivers
\nState.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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