TELL Magazine

Rabe Abubakar

Five senior officers of the Nigerian Army are believed to have been arrested in the last 48 hours. A source in the military described it as an operation that appears to be widening. 
According to the source, the officers currently being detained at a location in Abuja include Major Generals and at least one Brigadier General. One of them is a serving General Officer Commanding GOC, of one of the divisions of the army and another a former Head of the Military Intelligence. 
The latter officer who until recently was in the leadership of the military intelligence is said to be from Rivers state. Sources added that he is a brother to a popular environmental activist, now late. But another officer who was originally slated to take over from him is said to have also been arrested in the said operation.

One of the arrested officers is also said to be from Katsina, home state of president Muhammadu Buhari, while another one is from Borno, the state of the serving army chief.  According to our sources, the arrest followed a discussion at a major military formation in Kaduna state.

It is not exactly clear as yet what offences they may have committed or what motives they may have allegedly had. 
But the source said if they had any problems with the way the Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai has been running the force, the usual practice will be to put them under ‘close arrest’ as it is known in military parlance, that is monitoring without detaining them, being senior officers.

However, in this particular case TELL learnt that they were hand cuffed and also some put in leg chains.

When the magazine contacted Rabe Abubakar, acting director of Defence information on the report, he denied that such a development took place in the military. Hear him, ”I can confirm to you that there is no truth in the story. Those behind it know why they are doing it.. They want to distract the military from its resolve to end insurgency in the country. What is true is that the military is investigating some officers for their role in previous elections and this officers are not under arrest or in handcuffs.”

However, one of our sources maintained that the operation is being done with as much secrecy as possible. He said that in the ensuing investigation it is likely that some recently retired military officers may be invited for questioning.