Audu Achigili, a colonel in the Nigerian Army, has reportedly been arrested after he accused his superiors of frustrating his promotion to the rank of brigadier general.
Sahara Reporters reported that Mr Achigili was arrested on Monday at his residence, in the presence of his family.
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“In 2023, the Army Council approved my promotion to the rank of Brigadier General but till date it has not been given to me,” the newspaper quoted Mr Achigili in a report published on Sunday.
The officer, who said he had served on many frontlines, including the insurgency-ravaged North-east and international deployments, expressed anger over the stalled promotion.
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Noting that he narrowly escaped the 2001 Ikeja bombing during President Tinubu’s stewardship as Lagos State governor, Mr Achigili alleged that his stalled promotion is linked to a land dispute in his hometown in Benue State.
He claimed that the clan head of Oglewu community in his hometown influenced Gabriel Ochigbano, a retired major general who was also a former Military Secretary for the Army.
In what he described as a violation of the military’s oath of integrity, the colonel alleged that Mr Ochigbano, who was a year ahead of him at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), wanted him to be compulsorily retired from the army.
Mr Achigili also criticised the recent promotions in which members of the 41 Regular Course were “downplayed in favour of their juniors, and these are great and gallant officers.”
“In that course, only two officers were promoted; one of them was a deceased officer,” he said, this “attitude seriously challenges officers’ loyalty and there is the need to do the right thing by preventing the decorations of highly projected officers whose merits rely on godfathers. These officers don’t go to war but are always the first to benefit from anything in the Nigerian Army.”
On Monday morning, soldiers stormed Col. Achigili’s home to drag him into a waiting vehicle in the presence of his family. [PHOTO CREDIT:Sahara Reporters]‘Achigili arrested’
Soldiers arrested the colonel at his residence on Monday morning, his family told Sahara Reporters and shared a video of the arrest. It was unclear whether his arrest was related to the outburst over his stalled promotion and the alleged lopsided recent promotions.
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The soldiers reportedly dragged Mr Achigili into a waiting vehicle while his son cried out.
“See how they are dragging my father,” his son was quoted as saying. “They paid a sergeant to come and arrest my father in the Nigerian Army.”
“They want to kill my dad,” the son alleged. “They are taking him away. After working for the Nigerian Army for many years, they are taking him away.”
PREMIUM TIMES could not immediately reach Apollonia Anele, spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, for confirmation and comment about Mr Achigili’s arrest.
Her number was not connecting as of the time of filing this report, and a text sent to her had not been responded to.
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