Nigerian military authorities have debunked report in a section of the media that a Nigerian Army court martial has found 15 senior officers including 10 Generals guilty for aiding terrorists.
Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, in a statement Tuesday said there was no truth in the report, urging the public to disregard it.
According to Olukolade, the story was meant to do maximum damage to the image of Nigerian Army and its personnel.
He said “This falsehood had previously been refuted when it first reared its head but those concocting it appear hell bent on misleading Nigerians and the international community to give credence to the negative impression they are so keen to propagate about the Nigerian military.
“It has become inevitable to reassure the general public that any ongoing disciplinary process or trial will be made public when necessary. After all, Court Martial issues in the Nigerian Army are not known to be secret undertakings as it is on record that previous proceedings and outcome have been made public in the past.
“Those who have decided to make a past time out of sensationalizing and fabricating sensitive security issues are again cautioned to desist from this practice especially in this period of the nation’s history. It is bad enough for any Army to try and convict a single General for such a grievous offence as alleged in the reports talk less of ten Generals. Nigerian Army remains a serious professional and responsible institution that cannot be associated with such incredulous report.
“The general public is therefore implored to discountenance the report as the handiwork of those who do not mean well for the country and her Armed Forces.
“Disciplinary processes being undertaken in any formation of the Nigerian Army are at best routine and definitely not at the level that has been so willfully exaggerated for clearly sinister motives. For emphasis, there is NO General of the Nigerian Army under any form of trial”.