Army to probe soldiers' involvement in 2014/2015 elections

The Nigerian Army on Monday, set up a five man panel of inquiry to probe allegations of partisan involvement by some soldiers in the 2014/2015 general elections. 

The panel is headed by General Officer Commanding (GOC), Headquarters, 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Major General Adeniyi Oyebade while Col. Danladi Salihu is to serve as its secretary.

Other members are Brigadier General Emmanuel Kabuk , Brigadier General Sunday Araoye, and Brigadier General Baba Ibrahim.

The panel has two weeks to submit its report to Chief of Army Staff, Gen Tukur Buratai. 

The president of the panel, Major General Oyebade called on members of the public with useful information on the subject matter to come forward and testify.

His words ;
“As most of you are aware, the last general elections conducted in March 2015 elicited criticism in some quarters, especially from the general public, particularly on conduct of Nigerian army personnel during both the gubernatorial and presidential elections respectively.

“These allegations were centred on the gubernatorial elections conducted in some states such as Ekiti, Osun, Rivers and Akwa-Ibom, to mention a few.

“It is therefore based on all these weighty allegations that the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai on assumption of command articulated his vision of having a professionally responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles, and instituted this Board of Inquiry.

“The panel is to investigate these allegations and recommend appropriate measures to prevent a reoccurrence in the future.

“The military as a noble profession of arms must remain apolitical in our democratic dispensation. Politics, we strongly believe should be left entirely to the politicians.

“I must hasten to add however, that in spite of these worrisome allegations, the military to a large extent performed creditably as the foremost guardian of the nation’s democracy.

“On this note, I would like to call on all the strata in the society and of course, the general public to please as a matter of urgency appear in person if they so wish and forward their petitions in form of memorandum either personally to Headquarters 1 Division Nigerian Army, Kawo, Kaduna or via courier addressed to the secretary, panel of investigation on elections, HQ 1Division, Kawo, Kaduna."