Military disowns men in army uniform involved in electoral offences

The Nigerian Army has claimed that several men captured in videos wearing its uniform and involved in electoral offences during last Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections were political thugs.

Video evidences circulating on social media platforms had shown armed men in army uniform, either directly involved in electoral offences or aiding forms of irregularities in elections in Rivers State and others.

But in its response, the Army said in a statement on Sunday that intelligence available to it revealed that political thugs wore military uniform to perpetrate crimes during the elections.

In the statement released by acting director, Army Public Relations, Col Sagir Musa, it claimed that some of the thugs been arrested and were giving useful information to the military.

According to Musa, many of the civilians caught in the crossfire could not differentiate between genuine soldiers and impersonators.

“Credible intelligence available to the army confirmed the kitting of political thugs with military uniform and arming of same to impersonate soldiers and perpetrate various crimes in the furtherance of the activities of their political bosses.

“These thugs were wrongly viewed as real military personnel on various social media channels. The army understands that most civilians caught in the callous onslaught of these murderous thugs might not be able to distinguish between a genuine soldiers from an impersonator, especially when they are armed with military – type weapons.

“However , several arrested impostors have given useful information that has led to unravelling the level of criminal involvement of some politicians in arming thugs for their depraved selfish gains,” he said.