2019 polls: Army probes allegations against soldiers

FOLLOWING a deluge of complaints bordering on the conduct of military personnel during the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections and the March 9 governorship and House of Assembly elections, the Nigerian Army has set up a nine-man committee to ascertain the veracity of the allegations.

Army spokesman, Colonel Sagir Musa, in a statement made available to Saturday Tribune, said as a way of ensuring that the troops deployed for the 2019 general elections conducted themselves within the Rules of Engagement and the Code of Conduct, the army has set up a nine-member investigative committee, headed by Major-General T. A. Gagariga

Other members of the committee are Brigadier-General J. M. Ali, Brigadier-General G. O. Adeshina, Brigadier-General M. A. Obari, Colonel A. T. Bitiyong, Colonel A. Tanko and Colonel W. A. Bakare as members, while Lieutenant-Colonel P. A. J. Ebuk is to serve as secretary.

The committee is to investigate all allegations of misconduct against the army during the just concluded general elections and submit its report by March 31.

According to Colonel Musa, the committee, which has commenced action, was inaugurated by the Chief of Administration (Army), Major General K. A. Y. Isiyaku, on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai

The army chief admonished the committee to carry out its duty objectively in line with its terms of reference.

The committee is charged to investigate the activities, actions and/or inaction of army personnel in all the states that alleged one infraction or the other.

The committee is also to analyse all reports to determine the veracity of the complaints, including the alleged assassination attempt on the Rivers State governor and the circumstances that led to the shooting to death of a certain Lieutenant Kurmi and injuring of an officer and some soldiers in the state.

The committee is also mandated to visit all states where issues have been raised about the conduct of the army during and after the elections and also interact with civil society organisations, sister security agencies and state governors with claims against the army.

General Buratai had said that under his watch, army personnel must remain apolitical, respect human rights and abide by the rule of law in all its official engagements within or outside Nigeria.

Army troops were deployed for the elections under Operation Safe Conduct which was set up to provide support for the police and other security agencies to ensure hitch-free elections in the country.

The chairman of the committee, Major -General T.A. Gagariga, assured the Chief of Army  Staff  and all Nigerians of the committee’s commitment to objectively and professionally addressing the major issues contained in the committee’s terms of reference.

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Meanwhile, facts have emerged that the Nigerian Police Force has begun the audit of killings and arson that happened across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, during last Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections in the country.

The elections were marred by voter apathy and violence with reported cases of loss of lives and property.

Except for a few states, reports of violence were recorded across the land with Kaduna, Kano and Rivers states taking the lead.

Findings by Saturday Tribune showed that arising from the review of last Saturday’s exercise, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, had ordered a comprehensive audit of total killings that occurred in the country during the exercise.

In a telephone conversation, the Police Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Frank Mba, said the IGP’s order on the audit of killings during last Saturday’s polls had been passed down to the appropriate quarters.

“The Inspector General of Police has given an order that statistics indicating number of killings across the country should be made available as we did in past elections,” Mba said.

When contacted on the telephone, the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer for Zone XI Command, SP Adekunle Ajisebutu, said collation of number of deaths in the zone was ongoing but yet to be concluded.

The IGP had ordered that security be beefed up in some parts of the country ahead of the governorship and House of Assembly elections to forestall breakdown of law and order as recorded during the presidential and National Assembly elections in February.

Specifically, the IGP deployed seven Deputy Inspectors-General of Police in the six geopolitical zones in the country and dispatched 10 Assistant Inspectors-General of Police to the zonal commands and the Federal Capital Territory for the last Saturday’s polls.