Nigerian Army ‘Special Killer Squad’ Deployed To South South – Group alleges
The Niger Delta Peace Movement has raised the alarm over the alleged deployment of a Special Killer Squad of the Nigerian Army to the six States of the South South geopolitical zone ahead of the Governorship and House of Assembly elections on Saturday.
The Secretary General of the NDPM, Comrade Jephtah Akedi, said the killer squad of battle tested soldiers was pulled out of Sokoto State on a mission to kill and stop at nothing in enforcing the directive to actualize the victory of the All Progressives Congress in the South South.
Akedi said investigation conducted by the group revealed that the Army High Command has assigned a ruthless officer, Major Al Mustapha, to lead the deadly squad comprising four officers and 130 men in its mission to execute acts of repression against the citizens during the period.
The NDPM Scribe stated further that his organization got intelligence report from authoritative sources in high places in the nation’s Defence sector that the Army has also deployed one Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Aliu as the new Commander of the 343 Artillery Battalion.
He said the NDPM was worried that the leadership of the Army decided to deploy Liuetenant Colonel A. Ilelah, who was the Artillery Commander at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to preside over the execution of the Army’s election game plan against the states of the South South.
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Akedi added that since his deployment for the “special mission” as the Commander of the 343 Artillery Battalion, Ilelah has issued orders to his subordinates who have aided brazen distortion of the electoral process in support of the APC.
He stressed that it was important to remind the Nigerian public that the military officers who authorized the killings in Bayelsa State report to Ilelah.
He added “one” Major Modibbo, and “one” Major Ibrahim, who have been fingered for aiding the activities of the thugs of the APC and killer soldiers all take directives from Ilelah.
Akedi added that Ilelah, now structured into the operational Command of the Army as the Commander of the 343 Artillery Battalion, reports directly to the General Officer Commanding the 6 Division 6 Nigerian Army, which controls the six states of the South South.
He alleged further even the GOC was being controlled by the Minister of Interior, who is a former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General AbdulRahman Danbazzau, and the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, to supervise the directive to take over the South South for the ruling APC.
Akedi called on the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, to restrain his officers from tainting the service with political bias during elections.
He said it would be wrong for the Army to be dragged into political dispute through the collusion of men in the corridors of power and senior officers of the service.
