Some serving and retired military generals have thrown their weight behind the Department of State Services (DSS) which cleared former chief of army staff, Lt. General Onyeabo Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd) of alleged funding of the Boko Haram terrorists.
They described the allegation as one of the diversionary tactics of the gang and vowed to end the terrorism.
Ihejirika and former governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff were accused by the Australian negotiator, Dr Stephen Davis of funding the Boko Haram sect in a controversial interview granted Arise Television and SAHARA Reporters.
However, Ihejirika and some retired military generals on Friday faulted Davis at the Get-Together of Alumni of the Nigerian Defence Academy-18 Regular Course at the National Defence College.
Air Vice Marshal Chris Marizu (rtd) warned politicians against playing politics with the security of the country, adding that the nation’s security is not for the army alone but the collective responsibility of all Nigerians.
“Some unscrupulous elements in this country want to malign the country by using innuendos that they cannot corroborate. As at this week, the soldiers have killed over 1,200 Boko Haram, but what is happening is not what is being reflected in the newspapers.”
The President of 18 regular course (18RC) ,Air Commodore Olufemi Oguntuyi commended General Ihejirika for his contributions to the military as COAS and enumerated some of the landmarks which included creation of extra divisions, Brigades, battalions into the Nigerian army and building of so many barracks, among others achievements.
Hear him, “We can not allow national security to be toyed with, the need for security awareness, inspite of the effort I out at that time and the effort being put by the current leadership of the armed forces, the need for security awareness still persist”.
According to a serving general, “ We all know the efforts made by Ihejirika as COAS to ensure these criminals were flushed out of the sub-region and for someone to come out saying the same general is funding the terrorists is an insult to the military and the man must be summoned to the country to proof his grave allegeation.
“We all know that terrorists will never disclose their friends, supporters or financiers even at gun point. May be they sold a dummy for the so-called Davis and instead of him to present the report here, he now moves from one media to another abroad making wide allegations. What the DSS said is the true position. I have listen to the rubbish the guy was saying, it was full of contradictions and I am disappointed in those calling for the arrest of General Ihejirika.”
Speaking at the National Defence College, Ihejirika described the allegation as a way of fighting him back for his contribution to the counter-insurgency operation and called on all serving and retired officers to join hands together to put an end to the menace of terrorism.
“I want to once again call on all Nigerians to join hands to support Mr President and members of the armed forces in their onerous task to rid this country of terrorism. I want to further advice that baseless frivolous, and unfounded allegations like this have the capacity of diverting our attention away from the main problem.
“Nigeria must exist before you can hold a single political office, or be a business man, and there is no compromise in the effort to have a peaceful Nigeria. Therefore I have no apologies what so ever to those who thought that I was highhanded, every army makes a lot of effort to ensure that the troops operates within the rules of engagement, and our department of civil military affairs have done so much in this regard”.
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