The Nigeria Army, on Monday, claimed that its “only interest and role in the general elections” in Rivers State and nationwide was to assist the civil authorities and the police to have a peaceful conduct of the elections.
The acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col Sagir Musa, stated this in Abuja, while reacting to allegations that the army had undue interference in the Rivers State elections.
The army’s spokesman said the military was able to check several mischievous activities of “some selfish individuals who recruited thugs dressed in military uniform and armed them to harass and intimidate their opponents.”
Musa noted in a release on Monday that in some cases as reported, the hoodlums, dressed in military uniforms, snatched ballot boxes and other electoral materials, while they also abducted some workers of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He said, “Our attention has been drawn to an accusation against the army bordering on interference in the Rivers State elections. The allegation is untrue and capable of misleading the public, especially when there is no credible record of such involvement before, during and after the 2019 elections.
“The army has made it clear that its only interest and role in the entire electioneering processes is purely to assist civil authorities and the police to have a secure and peaceful conduct of the elections.
“Any allegation against the army must be confirmed from appropriate quarters before jumping into conclusions. Already the Chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, has set up a committee to investigate all complaints relating to professional misconduct during the elections.”
Pumch