By: Manoah Kikekon
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Abudu Akinlola Olumayowa, a military veteran and Lagos State House of Assembly aspirant 2023, has asked if there is a safe place for military officers in Nigeria as a result of the protest that led to the shutting down of Nigeria Defence headquarters.
The Monday protest was a result of a video that went viral this week, where Military officers were seen brutalizing the civilian staff of Nigeria Defence Headquarters, Abuja.
Olumayowa, in his address to journalists on Tuesday, said, "I have often condemned brutality by the security forces, but you don't mess with a soldier in his or her barracks for any reason."
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| A clip from a video showing BRUTALIZATION OF MOD GL 15 STAFF, COMRADE AMBROSE AKHIGBE, ON MONDAY 10TH JUNE, 2024 BY SOME PRIVATE SOLDIERS SUPERVISED BY ONE LT AKUBOR. |
Olumayowa described the act as complete aberration, extreme disregard, and the height of disrespect to have challenged a soldier in his own barracks by a civilian who had lost his moral compass.
"It's no more a hearsay nor news that students in command boarding school are prohibited from using mobile phones, some students were caught in the act and were being disciplined.
"But for the fraternization between the military police and the said civilian staff, and how often the military police tell their civilian friends to disregard and disrespect soldiers,"
Olumayowa explained that the civilian staff was video recording the soldiers and also told the students to disregard the soldiers orders while they were disciplined, which generated into misunderstandings.
"I am calling on the military authorities to prioritise the safety and rights of their soldiers, because the information at my disposal says the sacrifices, efforts, safety, and rights of these soldiers concerned military officers are about to be butchered and sold on the altar for public sympathy, which is contrary to common reasoning," he added.