An online news platform’s corruption report on selecting competent troops for peace support missions was entirely rejected by the Nigerian Army.
According to the May 14, 2023 report, the military is “pushing grave injustice and unprofessionalism to destroy Nigeria.”
On Tuesday, May 16, 2023, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director, of Army Public Affairs, denounced the report as a “mischievous and systematic slander campaign” aimed at “inciting troops,” “heating up the polity,” and “destabilising the country.”
The statement read, “The Nigerian Army has noted with dismay, a mischievous and systematic smear campaign by Sahara Reporters, aimed at inciting troops, heating up the polity and destabilising the country through spurious, baseless and false alarm on corruption, nepotism, ethnic and religious bigotry within the Nigerian Army (NA).
“A report at absolute dissonance and aberrance with the virtues and symbol of national unity, which the NA and indeed the Military Forces of Nigeria represent.”
“The report also contained some unimaginable slurs targeted at denigrating and demonising the procedure for selecting 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 claims were created against the NA, it clearly reflects a deluded perception and an appalling lack of any clue on routine processes of deployment exercises in the NA.”
“This incorrigible mentality has only further crystallised the insatiable desire of Sahara Reporters to provoke mayhem and collapse of law and order in a systematic effort to spawn violence and destabilise the nation through crafty desperate and self-serving tactics. It is imperative to say that the real goal or otherwise of the infamous internet media in releasing such toxic concoctions at this vital juncture is to cause disaffection within a united and fearsome military.”
He added, “It is apparent that deliberate fabrication and toxic narratives produced by the online media were to clothe the Nigerian Army in an unfitting garment of infamy meant to whip up unwarranted aspersion to distract the NA. The online news report could have been ignored given its pedigree of unprofessional and yellow page journalism, but the unacceptable falsehood being propagated demands clarification for 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 men of the NA under the current leadership like never before, have experienced outstanding positive changes in the morale, fighting spirit and physical components of the force.”
“It is vital to say in very explicit terms, that posting and redeployment in various formations and units, including the Army Headquarters is a routine process, aimed at ensuring that the NA is efficiently manned for operational efficiency and effectiveness.”
“Furthermore, over the years, the NA has been very firm with the criteria for selection of people to serve in the PSOs, which include personnel must have participated in the continuing counter-terrorism counter-insurgency operations in the North East for at least 2 years, among other criteria.”
“In case the online media and those who fed it all the lies it published do not know, it is on record that the NA has never had it so good, given the quantum of combat and logistics equipment that have been injected into the theatres of operations, which has evidently turned the tide against the complex array of threats facing the nation.”
This is in addition to NA welfare benefits. Welfare flights have also been started, making it easier for servicemen to visit their families. In addition, a major commitment to the medical requirements of wounded-in-action officers and troops and barracks communities.”
“Children and wards of commanders and soldiers who died in ongoing operations are receiving scholarships. Note that all NA Barracks make intentional efforts to provide troops and their families with suitable working and living conditions.
These enormous barracks construction and repair projects are helping NA personnel nationwide. In light of the unprecedented improvement in the NA, one should be curious to interrogate the ulterior motives for which the online media is so easily sucked in by the antics of conflict merchants and agents provocateurs, who are uncomfortable with the steadfastness, patriotism, unwavering commitment, sacrifice, ruggedness, and resoluteness of the Nigerian Army in stamping out terrorism, banditry, and other violent crimes bedevilling the nation and the West African sub-.
“Could it be that the internet media is doing it for selfish profits to plunge the nation into chaos? This is worth investigating by anyone interested in distinguishing rogue journalism from professional journalism. Let those who manufactured the lies know that the courageous commanders and soldiers of the NA remain undeterred, undistracted, and unaffected by the harebrained allegations in that wicked report.”
“The desperate endeavour by the authors of this irresponsible report to discredit the NA by imparting ethno-religious, and nepotic coloration to its activities is nothing but an inglorious attempt to seduce unsuspecting members of the public with prejudice deals, salted liberally with spooky intent.”
“The NA is a symbol of national unity and cannot be separated along ethno-religious lines. The NA under the current leadership has stayed steadfast in its constitutional mandate and will fiercely continue to implement welfare programmes for all personnel.”
“Troops engaged in ongoing operational engagements are doing their utmost to defend the nation and should be encouraged, not plotted against. All NA troops are asked to remain strong and unmoved by unpatriotic forces who aim to plunge the nation into disarray for selfish reasons.”
