By Kingsley Omonobi
The Nigerian Army yesterday waved aside allegations of corruption and nepotism levelled against it and other unknown persons within the military.
Accordng to the Army, the claims are aimed at inciting troops, heating up the polity and distabilizing the country.
It said the false alarm about religious and ethnic bigotry within the Army, nepotism and corruption were spurious and baseless.
The Director of Army Public Relatiins, Brig Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, disclosed this in a statement, titled ”Claims of Corruption, Nepotism, Calculated to Destsbilize the Country.”
The statement read: “The Nigerian Army has noted with dismay, a mischievous and systematic smear campaign aimed at inciting troops, heating up the polity and distabilizing the country through spurious, baseless and false alarm on corruption, nepotism, ethnic and religious bigotry within the Nigerian Army.
“A report which could be best described as being at total dissonance and aberance with the virtues and symbol of national unity, which the NA and indeed the Armed Forces of Nigeria represent.
“The report also contained some unimaginable slurs targeted at denigrating and demonizing the procedure for the selection of competent troops for Peace Support Operations (PSO), which has over the years earned the NA very well deserved encomiums and enviable status in the comity of nations in global defence, as a professional, hard-fighting, and disciplined institution.
“Considering the unprofessional and irresponsible manner in which the smear allegations were concocted against the NA, it clearly depicts a delusional perception and an abysmal bereftment of the slightest clue on routine processes of deployment exercises in the NA.
“This incorrigible attitude has only further crystalized the inordinate desire to incite mayhem and breakdown of law and order in a concerted effort to engender violence and destabilize the nation, through devious desperate and self-serving machinations.
“It is expedient to state that the real intention or otherwise of the infamous online media in publishing such toxic concoctions at this critical period is targeted at causing disaffection within a united and formidable military.
“It is clear that deliberate falsehood and noxious narratives were orchestrated to adorn the Nigerian Army in an unfitting garb of infamy calculated to whip up unnecessary aspersion to distract the NA. “
“The report could have been ignored given the pedigree of unprofessional and yellow page journalism, however, the unacceptable falsehood being propagated demands clarification for the interest of well-meaning Nigerians and in honour of selfless officers and soldiers, who have continued to pay the price of defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation and global peace.
“It is on record that officers and soldiers of the NA under the current leadership like never before, have witnessed exceptional positive changes in the morale, fighting spirit and physical components of the force.
“It is therefore crucial to state in very clear terms, that posting and redeployment in various formations and units, including the Army headquarters is a routine exercise, aimed at ensuring that the NA is effectively manned for operational efficiency and effectiveness. “
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Last modified: May 17, 2023
