Army demands unreserved appology in 72 hours from Emma Okah over offensive publication

Emmanuel Thomas l Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019

PORT HARCOURT, Rivers, Nigeria – Headquarters of the 6th Division Nigerian Army has demanded unreserved appology from Emmanuel Okah, over the statement he caused to be published in scannews alleging that members of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) stopped an army general, Brig Gen Nasiru Najaja from tampering with INEC materials at the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) in Port Harcourt, River State.

The army said it will be forced to insitute a legal action against Emmanuel Okah if he fails to appologise to the general in 72 hours.

In a statement, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu said in the most bazaar and slanderous statement, Emma Okah criminally and frivolously accused the person of a respected professional (Brig Gen Nasiru Najaja) the Commander 6 Military Intelligence Brigade to the effect that the senior officer was prevented access to the Port Harcourt CBN premises by some so called PDP members who stopped him from tampering with sensitive electoral materials.

Okah, he said, further went ahead to brazenly accuse the institution of the 6 Division of planning to rig the election in favour of another political party.

“The Division wishes to categorically demand an unreserved apology and withdrawal of the slanderous statement by Emma Okah against the NA and the person of Brig Gen Nasiru Najaja within 72 Hours of this publication failure of which will lead to institution of a legal proceedings”, he said.

He explained that as part of the Nigerian Army’s constitutional responsibility of aiding civil authority and its mandate to safeguard Key Points and Vulnerable Points in the nation, troops of 6 Division NA were accordingly deployed and further reinforced at various locations including the CBN Port Harcourt where INEC deposit sensitive materials before, during and after elections. 

“Brig Gen Najaja as the coordinator of all deployments was at the CBN Port Harcourt and other locations to assess the level of troops deployment and alertness. This deployment must have thwarted Mr Okah’s sinister plans and that of his pay masters thereby making such frustrating statements.

“Furthermore, Emma Okah and his cohorts are advised to henceforth restrict their politicking to themselves and avoid dragging the respected institution of the NA and its personnel for cheap popularity”, he said, adding that the 6 Division and indeed the NA have over time reiterated and genuinely demonstrated its neutrality and apolitical posture and will continue to play its constitutional mandates responsively and professionally despite the distractions.

See his full statement below:

PRESS RELEASE

RE: PDP MEMBERS STOP ARMY GENERAL ATTEMPTING TO TAMPER WITH INEC MATERIALS AT CBN; WARNS F-SARS AGAINST BRUTALISATION AND DETENTION OF MEMBERS

The attention of Headquarters 6 Division Nigerian Army (NA) is drawn to some unscrupulous and wicked assertions by one Barr Emma Okah who claims to be the Director of Information and Communication of PDP Rivers State in a statement issued and published in Scannews, an online medium.

In the most bazaar and slanderous statement, Emma Okah criminally and frivolously accused the person of a respected professional (Brig Gen Nasiru Najaja) the Commander 6 Military Intelligence Brigade to the effect that the senior officer was prevented access to the Port Harcourt CBN premises by some so called PDP members who stopped him from tampering with sensitive electoral materials. Okah further went ahead to brazenly accuse the institution of the 6 Division for planning to rig the election in favour of another political party.

For the avoidance of doubt, as part of the NA’s constitutional responsibility of aiding civil authority and our mandate to safeguarding Key Points and Vulnerable Points of our dear nation, troops of 6 Division NA were accordingly deployed and further reinforced at various locations including the CBN Port Harcourt where INEC deposit sensitive materials before, during and after elections. 

Brig Gen Najaja as the coordinator of all deployments was at the CBN Port Harcourt and other locations to assess the level of troops deployment and alertness. This deployment must have thwarted Mr Okah’s sinister plans and that of his pay masters thereby making such frustrating statements.

Furthermore, Emma Okah and his cohorts are advised to henceforth restrict their politicking to themselves and avoid dragging the respected institution of the NA and its personnel for cheap popularity. The 6 Division and indeed the NA have over time reiterated and genuinely demonstrated our neutrality and apolitical posture and will continue to play our constitutional mandates responsively and professionally despite the distractions.

Additionally, the Division wishes to categorically demand an unreserved apology and withdrawal of the slanderous statement by Emma Okah against the NA and the person of Brig Gen Nasiru Najaja within 72 Hours of this publication failure of which will lead to institution of a legal proceedings.

To this end, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division/ Land Component Commander (LCC) JTF OPDS Maj Gen Jamil Sarham wish to reassure the good people of Rivers State and indeed the Niger Delta region of the Division’s unflinching resolve to protection of lives and properties in conjunction with other security agencies for a conducive atmosphere in the entire region. He further thanks the people for their continued support and cooperation to the Division in the area of information delivery which greatly assists the operations of the Division and urges them to do more.

You are kindly requested to disseminate this information to the general public. Thank you for your usual cooperation.

AMINU ILIYASU

Colonel

Deputy Director Army Public Relations

16 February 2019