The Nigerian Army late Tuesday, June 5, denied claims by a section of the country’s media that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, recently launched the operation Island protect in Lagos.
A statement by Brigadier General Texas Chukwu, the Director Army Public Relations, said though Buratai was in Lagos recently, he only visited the Banana Island area of Lagos and that this should not be taken that he flagged-off of the project.
The Army called on The Guardian to caution its reporter and urged him to always seek clarifications when in doubt.
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Read the full statement below:
RE: NIGERIAN ARMY LAUNCHES ISLAND PROTECT IN LAGOS
The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a publication on page 6 of The Guardian newspaper of Sunday 3 June 2018 and a section of social media online publication titled "NIGERIAN ARMY LAUNCHES ISLAND PROTECT IN LAGOS'. In the said story, the report stated inter alia that "the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, set the ball rolling for the initiative, which will be located off Banana Island Lagos State". The Nigerian Army wishes to state categorically that the report is not only untrue but capable of misleading members of the general public.
The write-up further alleged that the project, under the auspices of the Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), is contracted to Van Oord and Julius Berger with Dauraf International Limited as developer.
Contrary to the report, the Nigerian Army wishes to state that, the Nigerian Army Properties Limited was established by the authority of the Army Council to cater for the housing needs of the Nigerian Army personnel.
It is pertinent to state at this point and to put the record in its proper perspective that, the Chief of Army Staff while on Operational visit to Lagos state used the opportunity to visit the Banana Island Lagos and not flagging-off of the project as insinuated by the guardian newspaper and the social media online publication.
Consequently, the Nigerian Army wishes to state that the writer has only succeeded in exhibiting his complete lack of knowledge about the said project and its administration.
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The Nigerian Army therefore calls on the authority of The Guardian newspaper to advise the reporter to cultivate the habit of verifying facts as well as balancing his report before rushing to the press. The management of The Guardian newspaper is requested to tender an unreserved apology to the Nigerian Army through the same medium or be ready to face legal action.
NAIJ.com earlier reported how troops deployed in Exercise Ayem Akpatuma in Taraba state in conjunction with personnel of the Nigeria Police on Saturday, March 31 arrested some criminal elements operating in Mayo Ndaga area of the state.
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Source: Naija.ng