REBUTTAL: NO SOLDIER WAS SHOT AT; SOLDIERS ATTACKED POLICEMEN UNPROVOKED

The attention of the Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to a report credited to Major General Umar Musa, outgoing GOC 81 Division, claiming that a ‘police officer shot at the soldier during the altercation which clipped him in the ear but narrowly missed his vital parts.’ In as much as the Lagos State Police Command is in a grieving mood and has decided to toe the line of civility, it is pertinent to stand against misinformation.

The fact remains that on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, at the Trade Fair area of Lagos State, about thirty Privates of the Nigerian Army attacked five policemen for stopping vehicles along their lane to pave way for a heavy duty truck joining the expressway. After the soldiers had brutalized the ASP leading the team, taken out his magazine, and abducted two Inspectors with their rifles, the next Inspector they attempted to attack fired a single shot into the air – an act that made the soldiers retreat.

The single shot was into the air. At no point was anyone hit. The Lagos State Police Command challenges the Army authorities to present the soldier allegedly shot.

While we mourn our fallen hero, and pray for the total recovery of the second abducted Inspector, we urge Nigerians to disregard the claim that a soldier was shot as there is absolutely no truth to it.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command eagerly awaits the report of the panel of inquiry set up by the Nigerian Army to investigate the immediate and remote cause of the incident. The Command equally looks forward to the fishing out of the soldiers behind the torture and murder of Inspector Monday Orukpe; and the return of two AK47 rifles and three magazines carted away by the soldiers, in line with the pledge made by the Nigerian Army as conveyed by Brigadier-General KN Nwoko during a condolence visit to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Abiodun Ablabi, fdc.

SP BENJAMIN HUNDEYIN, anipr, mipra,
Police Public Relations Officer,
Lagos State Command,
Ikeja-Lagos
August 10, 2022

MAJOR GENERAL OBINNA AJUNWA ASSUMES COMMAND AS THE 32nd GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING 81 DIVISION NIGERIAN ARMY

The newly appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Divison Nigerian Army (NA) Major General Obinna Ajunwa has assumed command of the Division in line with the recent posting by the Headquarters NA Department of Military Secretary.

At the handing and taking over ceremony of the office of the GOC held at Headquarters 81 Division in Lagos Major General Ajunwa thanked the Chief of Army Staff for finding him worthy of this great responsibility. He thereafter commended the immediate past GOC Major General Umar Thama Musa for taking the Division to greater heights. He pledged to contribute to the success recorded so far. General Ajunwa urged senior officers of the Division to work as a team and demonstrate professionalism during the discharge of their duties. He said the only way to ensure success is to move the Division to greater heights.

Earlier, the immediate past GOC, General Musa who has been redeployed as the new GOC 82 Division thanked God for granting him successful tenure of office and the COAS for finding him worthy of the appointment as GOC. He expressed confidence in the ability of the new GOC to deliver on his new assignment. He, therefore, thanked Commanders and Principal Staff Officers for the support and cooperation he enjoyed during his tour of duty and appealed for the same and even more to be extended to his successor.

Highlights of the occasion include the commissioning of some projects, the signing of handing and taking over notes, the quarter guard procedure, a group photograph, and a farewell address to troops.

OLANIYI OSOBA
Major
Acting Deputy Director 81 Division Nigerian Army Public Relations
9 August 2022

Police officer’s death: Investigations ongoing, says Ex-GOC

WRITTEN BY ENEHUA OJIAH 10 AUGUST 2022

The immediate past General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Umar Musa, on Tuesday, said that investigations were still ongoing concerning a police officer, SP Orukpe Monday, allegedly killed by some soldiers in Lagos last Thursday.

Umar disclosed this on Tuesday while handing over to the new GOC, 81 Division, Maj.-Gen. Obinna Ajunwa, at the Division’s Headquarters on Victoria Island, Lagos State.

On Thursday, Aug. 4, a crisis occurred between some soldiers and some policemen near Ojo in Lagos State, leading to the death of Monday.

Musa said that preliminary investigations revealed that the police officer shot at the soldier during the altercation which clipped him in the ear but narrowly missed his vital parts.

“The other soldiers reacted to the shot fired by the police officer and this led to their beating the policeman to death.

“We have paid a condolence visit to the Commissioner of Police to tell him that we will take necessary measures to prevent future occurrences of such nature.

“The injured soldier is in the hospital receiving treatment and investigation is ongoing to ascertain the next line of action to be taken,” he said.

It would be recalled that Inspector Monday Orukpe serving with the Lagos State Police Command died from the torture he allegedly received from soldiers who attacked him and his colleagues in the Trade Fair area of Lagos State.

Another Inspector, Igbafe Ojo, who was reportedly tortured by the same soldiers, had been hospitalized at the military hospital in Ojo Military Cantonment, where doctors said that he was receiving treatment.

It was reported that the soldiers were on their way to attend a training program at the Ojo Military Cantonment on Wednesday when the bus transporting them to the down encountered mild traffic around the Trade Fair area of the Lagos Badagry Expressway.

Maj.-Gen. Musa also advised the personnel of the division to give the new GOC the necessary cooperation needed so that the division could move to greater heights.

“I urge you all to be loyal, dedicated, and redouble your efforts to surmount the current security challenges the country is facing.

“We are all aware of how threats are spreading all over the country and we are doing our best to ensure that we curtail all these activities.

“I assure the civilian populace that the army is doing its best to ensure that the country remains peaceful,” he said.

Musa encouraged the media to continue to give correct reportage and publicity concerning the activities of the Nigerian Army so that the bandits would know that they were being subdued.

Also speaking, the new GOC, Maj.-Gen. Ajunwa said that he would strive to identify the security gaps in the state and deploy strategies to mitigate them.