The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the newly-created 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Maj.-Gen. Kasimu Abdulkarim, has denied reports raised by the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Rivers, Chief Felix Obuah, that soldiers arrested members of the party, the Nation reports.
Obuah, at 10:38 a.m. on Saturday, raised an alarm accusing soldiers of allegedly killing and arresting some of its members in Tai-Ogoni and Gokana-Ogoni Local Government Areas of the state.
Obuah said, “PDP in Rivers State condemns Nigerian Army’s arrest and killing of members of PDP in Tai and Gokana LGAs. The soldiers arrested over 200 PDP members in Tai LGA, 12 innocent PDP members were shot and one member of the party was killed in Tai LGA.
“Barako community in Gokana LGA was also invaded by soldiers, scores of PDP members were arrested.”
Reacting to Obuah’s claim, Maj.-Gen. Abdulkarim, in a telephone interview at 11:34 a.m. said nothing of such happened.
The GOC said, “It (Obuah’s allegation) is not true. Let them not create conflict within a conflict. Nobody should raise any alarm. I have just returned to the office in Port Harcourt, from monitoring the elections, which have been peaceful and the voters are orderly.
“I was with the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations), Habila Joshak, when the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, called him to know the security situation on the ground and he (DIG) told IGP that everywhere was very calm and the electorate exercising their franchise. I do not know why they will cry wolf, where there is none.”
Dolapo is a writer and journalist who works with YNaija. He has interests in Christianity, politics and sports.
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