Nigerians blast Army over comments on Rivers election

Nigerians on Tuesday expressed misgivings on the Facebook page of Nigerian Army over anti-Rivers Press Release.

They lambasted the army for allowing themselves to be degraded and reduced from the revered respect accorded by society.

The Headquarters of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in a press release through the Deputy Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu had observed with dismay and sense of betrayal in the statement made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) signed by its National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee Festus Okoye Esq on 15 March 2019, regarding the Commissions Fact-Finding Committee report that assessed the situation in Rivers State.

Yartomizan Amades noted that the army have reduced themselves to Isakkaba Boys and have lost great confidence of the people following their activities in Akuku-Toru during the Presidential election and Governorship election in the state.

“Following the true picture of what happened in Akuku-Toru during the Presidential election and also what happened in the past election, it is in regret that I will say our soldiers have been reduced to Isakkaba Boys and have lost great confidence of the people,” he asserted.

Chijioke Christian Woke lambasted the 6 Division for contradicting earlier claims that the injured soldiers are their officers when the Chief of Army Staff has publicly stated that the army that humiliated Rivers people are political thugs on military uniform.

“By the way, how come the injured soldiers have now become your officers? You previously said the men on military uniform that humiliated and killed Rivers people were thugs,” he queried.

Ebychukx Uche mocked the army for contradicting itself after denying involvement of its officers in the Rivers Governorship election and sort to know what the Army Captain claimed to have been shot by security aides was during at the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area collation centre.

“The Nigerian Army is contradicting itself. Firstly, the army denied involvement in Rivers Governorship election and declared that politicians bought army uniform for thugs. Now you said that the Governor came to Obio/Akpor with thugs who shot an Army Captain.

My question is simply, what was the Army Captain doing at Obio/Akpor before the Governor arrived? Have the Nigerian Army agreed that the soldiers where there officers” he questioned.

Obioha Iyke Anyanwu described as shameful that the Nigerians Army have allowed themselves to be turned into local vigilantes by politicians. “The Nigerian Army has turned to local vigilantes because of politicians. So shameful,” he said.

Amos Glad slammed the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army for deliberately covering its role in the election in the press release, describing it as unbalanced. “This is not a balanced press release. You failed to mention your role in the melee” he noted.

Akanimo Sam also sorted to know the role of the military at collation centres as showed on video footages. “What role was the military to play at the collation centre? Video footage showed soldiers trying to invade the collation centre” he queried.