ARMS PROBE: EFCC ARRESTS EX-MILITARY INTELLIGENCE CHIEF, GEN. WIWA

ARMS PROBE: EFCC ARRESTS EX-MILITARY INTELLIGENCE CHIEF, GEN. WIWA

 Arms probe: EFCC arrests ex-military intelligence chief, Gen. Wiwa

THE Economic and Fi­nancial Crimes Com­mission (EFCC), at the weekend, continued its clampdown on people who could give information on the vexed $2.1 billion arms deal probe, with the arrest of a former Director of Mili­tary Intelligence (DMI), Ma­jor General Wiwa, younger brother to the late Ken Saro Wiwa.

This is coming at a time when Citizens’ Initiative for Security Awareness (CISA), warned the media to desist from using sensational sto­ries on military officers.

Sources revealed that General Wiwa, the Deputy Commandant at the Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, Oshodi has been transferred to Abuja, where he’s being detained.

Daily Sun gathered that the detained soldier served in the office of the National Security Adviser when late General Patrick Azazi occu­pied the office. He remained in office during Col. Sambo Dasuki’s tenure from where he was appointed Direc­tor of Military Intelligence when Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika became the Chief of Army staff, a position he retained under the tenure of General Kenneth Minimah.

Sources at the EFCC re­vealed that the general was picked up for questioning over the involvement of the former Chief of Army Staff in arms purchase scandal.

In a related development CISA has cautioned the me­dia against sensational sto­ries.

In a signed statement by Aliyu Dogo, Head of Public­ity and Mobilisation yester­day, CISA said: “We frown at the unconscionable con­coction of stories and unre­lated pictures to tar certain officers in the media. Take for instance, the story mak­ing rounds that $1m dollars was found in drums or in soak- away belonging to a certain officer, yet, the soak-away has no sign of breakage nor were Nigerians shown the confiscated money.

“Just so to achieve the in­tention of demonising the of­ficers, the picture of drums containing dollars belong­ing to the late Colombian drug kingpin, Pablo Esco­bar, which was unearthed by a Colombian farmer in 2015 are being circulated today in Nigeria as belonging to a Nigerian military officer indicted for corruption. Ni­gerians were also told of the former military assistant to late Azazi and Dasuki, who is a serving Colonel whose house was allegedly broken and millions of dollars were allegedly found inside. This same officer is still in de­tention for more than two months yet, no charge has been preferred against him, while the so-called millions of dollars found in his house were not authenticated.

“A couple of days ago, Ni­gerians were treated with a report of public humiliation and arrest at the airport of a serving top Air Force of­ficer by police men in mufti in spite of the pleadings and protestations of fellow gen­erals that the senior officer is not running away but travelling abroad on offi­cial assignments. As a civil society group interested in galvanising public support for the Nigerian military and other security agen­cies in the country, CISA is gravely worried about the implication of orchestrating the circulation of unproven stories of alleged corrupt practices by military offi­cers.”

“CISA believes that me­dia trial of our top military officers, serving or retired, is an ill-wind that will blow nobody any good.

“CISA believes our mili­tary and security institu­tions and its officers must not be exposed to such pub­lic ridicule.

“We frown at the un­relenting profiling of the military as haven of corrup­tion and officers as corrupt fellows when, indeed, none of the allegations have been proven or any of the indicted officers convicted by the ju­dicial system.

“We should all support the government in its War Against Corruption without dehumanising and discred­iting individuals and insti­tutions through false and sensational reports that can dent our national pride and reputation.”