Edo Sate Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, on
Friday faulted the Brigade Commander, 4 TH Brigade of
the Nigerian Army, Benin City, Brig.-Gen.Olajide Laleye,
for allegedly soliciting and receiving from the Minister of
Works, Mike Onolememen, 14 Toyota Hilux vehicles, for
the purpose of elections monitoring.
The governor, who frowned at the gesture while
speaking with journalists shortly after holding security
meeting with security chiefs in the state, also raised
alarm on the alleged plot by the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) to rig the election in the state, using some
military men on mufti.
He said: “We have intelligence and it has been
confirmed that the Minister of Works, deployed 14
vehicles in the premises of RCC construction Company
Benin. This Hilux vehicles about 13 of them, were
transferred from RCC premises to the headquarters of
the 4th Brigade of the Nigerian army. I have expressed
my concern to the Commander of the 4th Brigade that I
did not think it was appropriate for the 4th Brigade to
collect vehicles from the Ministry of Works for the
purpose of this election.
“The Commander of the 4th Brigade told me that the
vehicles were donated by the RCC because he
approached RCC for support. I told him even that is
wrong. The Brigade Commander cannot approach
Israelis to provide them with security when the Edo
State government is here. He has not made such a
request to me and I reminded him that Israeli people
cannot be assumed to have greater interest in the peace
and security of Nigeria than the government of Edo
state.
“After all we set up Operation Thunder Storm which
encourages the military to compliment the efforts of the
police. I denounced the idea. Whether RCC or Minister
of Works, this is clearly irregular.
“I expect that the Ministry of Works if they have
donations to make it should have been made
transparently to the Nigerian police not the Nigerian
Army because the conduct of this election is primarily
the responsibility of the Nigerian police and not the
Nigerian Army. That they prefer to donate to the Army
rather than the police raises more questions than the
answers that have been provided.
“Our investigation is that these Hilux vehicles provided
by Onolemenmen or by RCC according to the Brigade
Commander, are going to be used to carry soldiers who
will not be wearing uniforms to disguise and our
information is that they intend to use these people to
intimidate the electorate. I have warned the Brigade
Commander not to do the sort of thing that Brigadier
Momoh did Ekiti State. In any case Edo people are Edo
people and we cannot be intimidated. And the Nigerian
Army has no business portraying itself as enemies of
democracy.
“I know they are not if there are some overzealous
officers who wants to do negative things I expect that
haven raised the issue, frankly with the Brigade
Commander this morning in the presence of other
security chiefs, I believe it is clear that the Army must
not be seen to be part of Nigerian problem, the world is
watching. I have also told them that if anybody is killed
by anybody in uniform in the course of trying to do what
is unlawful, it is not my statement, the International
Criminal Court agents are in Nigeria, if anybody can
escape justice in Nigeria, you cannot escape justice
from the International Criminal Court.
“The world has changed that anybody who misused his
office cannot escape justice, this is said directly to the
Brigade Commander and other security chiefs. I have
also informed him of the Brigadier General Odidi who
was earlier transferred from the Electrical Engineering
Command of the Nigerian Army in Auchi but he was
brought back. He is openly canvassing for PDP that
soldiers are paid by PDP so they should work for PDP.
“This I told the Brigade Commander. To draw the
attention of Odidi that the responsibility of the Army is
not to canvass votes of work against any particularly
political party. I have voiced out the dangers of doing
that, Brig. Odidi is from Agenebode because if he
misbehaves I have told him the consequences.
“Yesterday (Thursday), they searched the residence of
APC chairman at Orhiomwon, they have penciled down
the names of APC leaders to be arrested. I have told
them that our people must vote freely”, Gov.
Oshiomhole stated.
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