Nigerian Army Warns Rivers State Information Commissioner ,Demands Apology

The 6th Division of the Nigerian Army has debunked a statement made by Rivers State Commissioner of Information Barr Emma Okah who doubles as the spokesman of PDP in Rivers State over an allegation that the Commander of the Intelligence Brigade of the Command Brig Gen Nasiru Najaja was prevented from accessing and tampering with sensitive electoral matters by some members of the PDP i  Port Harcourt

This was a statement issued by the spokesman of the Command Col Aminu Iliyasu

RE: PDP MEMBERS STOP ARMY GENERAL ATTEMPTING TO TAMPER WITH INEC MATERIALS AT CBN; WARNS F-SARS AGAINST BRUTALISATION AND DETENTION OF MEMBERS

The attention of Headquarters 6 Division Nigerian Army (NA) is drawn to some unscrupulous and wicked assertions by one Barr Emma Okah who claims to be the Director of Information and Communication of PDP Rivers State in a statement issued and published in Scannews, an online medium.

In the most bazaar and slanderous statement, Emma Okah criminally and frivolously accused the person of a respected professional (Brig Gen Nasiru Najaja) the Commander 6 Military Intelligence Brigade to the effect that the senior officer was prevented access to the Port Harcourt CBN premises by some so called PDP members who stopped him from tampering with sensitive electoral materials. Okah further went ahead to brazenly accuse the institution of the 6 Division for planning to rig the election in favour of another political party.

For the avoidance of doubt, as part of the NA’s constitutional responsibility of aiding civil authority and our mandate to safeguarding Key Points and Vulnerable Points of our dear nation, troops of 6 Division NA were accordingly deployed and further reinforced at various locations including the CBN Port Harcourt where INEC deposit sensitive materials before, during and after elections.  Brig Gen Najaja as the coordinator of all deployments was at the CBN Port Harcourt and other locations to assess the level of troops deployment and alertness. This deployment must have thwarted Mr Okah’s sinister plans and that of his pay masters thereby making such frustrating statements.

Furthermore, Emma Okah and his cohorts are advised to henceforth restrict their politicking to themselves and avoid dragging the respected institution of the NA and its personnel for cheap popularity. The 6 Division and indeed the NA have over time reiterated and genuinely demonstrated our neutrality and apolitical posture and will continue to play our constitutional mandates responsively and professionally despite the distractions.

Additionally, the Division wishes to categorically demand an unreserved apology and withdrawal of the slanderous statement by Emma Okah against the NA and the person of Brig Gen Nasiru Najaja within 72 Hours of this publication failure of which will lead to institution of a legal proceedings.

To this end, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division/ Land Component Commander (LCC) JTF OPDS Maj Gen Jamil Sarham wish to reassure the good people of Rivers State and indeed the Niger Delta region of the Division’s unflinching resolve to protection of lives and properties in conjunction with other security agencies for a conducive atmosphere in the entire region. He further thanks the people for their continued support and cooperation to the Division in the area of information delivery which greatly assists the operations of the Division and urges them to do more.

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