• Army redeploys NYSC DG, six generals, denies torture, cannibalism video
Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Military authorities yesterday clarified that there was no approval for a new salary scale for the armed forces.
This is coming as Nigerian Army redeployed the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Major General Suleman Kazaure and six other generals.
Army headquarters also denied that its personnel were involved in a torture and cannibalism video circulating on social media.
A statement issued by Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday declared that the documents circulating online purporting a new salary scale was fake.
“The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has observed with utmost dismay, the circulation of a fictitious document that has gone viral on social media purportedly showing a new upgraded Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) salary structure with effect from May 2019.
“The DHQ wishes to clarify that the said document does not exist, neither does it reflect the true salary structure of personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria,” the statement signed by Defence Spokesman, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said.
Nwachukwu said, “though the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Muhammadu Buhari, signed a new minimum wage of thirty thousand naira (30,000) on 18 April 2019, it is however, outrightly mischievous for anyone to circulate fake documents detailing salary structure of the AFN.
“The DHQ therefore wishes to reiterate that the purported new salary scale for members of the AFN being circulated is nothing but a false and malicious publication intended to cause disaffection among members of the AFN, as no such salary scale exists.”
The statement further noted that “it is also very pertinent for the general public to note that the AFN does not approve salaries for its personnel.
“Members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the general public are therefore urged to please discountenance the fake document in its entirety.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has approved the postings and appointments of some of its senior officers.
Those affected by this include, Major General Suleman Kazaure who has been posted from National Youth Service Corps to Nigerian Army Resource Centre and appointed as Senior Resource Person, Brigadier General CA Bossman from Nigerian Army Archives to Command Schools Services and appointed as Director Command Schools Services, Brigadier General E Angaye is appointed Acting Director Veterans Affairs Department (Army) and Brigadier General BA Tsoho is posted from Army Headquarters Department of Civil-Military Affairs to Nigerian Army Language Institute and appointed as Commandant.
Others affected in the postings are Brigadier General AA Goni from 82 Division Education to Army Headquarters Department of Civil-Military Affairs and appointed Director Information, Brigadier General FC Onyeari from Headquarters Nigerian Army Supply and Transport to Defence Headquarters and appointed as Acting Director Catering.
Others affected in the redeployment include Brigadier General S Ibrahim from Nigerian Army University Biu to National Youth Service Corps and appointed as Director General, Brigadier General SS Ibrahim is now appointed Registrar Nigerian Army University Biu.
The statement signed by Army Spokesman, Col. Sagir Musa, said the postings and appointments were with immediate effect.
In another development, the Army said a torture and cannibalism video circulating on social media depicting soldiers engaged in torture and acts of cannibalism were not personnel of the Nigerian Army.
A statement entitled ‘Mutilating Fellow Human Beings Not in Our Character, Training, Mandate and Standard Operating Procedures’, the army high command said, “the Nigerian Army (NA) has observed with dismay a video clip circulating on some social media platforms showing some persons in camouflage uniform mercilessly disfiguring a leg of a fellow human being, with some others shabbily, carelessly and variously dressed. Some are wearing bathroom slippers.
“The NA wishes to emphatically state that having thoroughly examined the video and investigated further, it has reached the factual conclusion that all the characters involved in the despicable act are not personnel of the NA”.
The Army Headquarters said “the action of the characters in the video clip particularly the act of meting out cruel punishment, talk less of decapitating a part of a fellow human being is not licensed, encouraged or condoned by the NA and is entirely against NA’s training, Code of Conduct (COC), Rules of Engagement (ROE) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in or out of conflict situations”.
A statement issued by Army PRO noted that “the camouflage used by the characters in the video is not the type being used in the NA and does not in any way conform to the dress code of the NA.
“Similarly, NA troops are not allowed to wear bathroom slippers and civil outfits during operations.
“Nigerian Army troops fighting insurgency in Nigeria, have severally captured many terrorists, took custody of many surrendered terrorists some of whom have been prosecuted, while those that voluntarily surrendered are undergoing de-radicalisation and rehabilitation under the Federal Government programme codenamed Operation Safe Corridor”.
Colonel Musa maintained that such babaric acts were the hallmarks of terrorists, saying the army would continue to monitor the activities of its personnel on social media.
“Members of the public are requested to note that the barbaric act (as shown in the video clip), has often been associated with the terrorists either as a punishment to one of their own or to send out powerful message to their followers and the larger public with the sole aim of instilling fear which is one of the major basis and aims of terrorists/terrorism”.
