Following presidential orders, the Nigerian Army has reportedly retired Brigadier General Aliyu Momoh over his alleged role in the last governorship election in Ekiti State in 2014.
Minister of Defence, Dan Ali, disclosed the plan to end General Momoh’s military career in an exclusive interview in Washington, DC. Ali was in the US as part of the Nigerian delegation to a nuclear power summit convened by President Barack Obama of the United States of America.
The Defence Minister revealed that the army decided to initiate the process of rusticating General Momoh, who was indicted last year by a military panel.
Sources informed about the development told SIGNAL General Momoh’s rustication from the Army was approved and ordered by President Buhari.
General Momoh led a contingent of soldiers and other security agencies to Ekiti State in what was described by the US government as an efficient and credible election but General Momoh was accused by the All Progressives Congress (APC) of intimidating voters and inhibiting the movement of officials of the APC.
It will be recalled that the U.S. Mission in Nigeria commended INEC for overseeing “a credible, efficient process’’, which it said, by all accounts, reflect the will of Ekiti voters. It also commended the security forces for collaborating effectively and providing a safe and secure environment free of major incidents.
Similarly, the US Department of State said of the Ekiti elections: “U.S. Embassy and international observers assessed that the process was credible and efficient, and that security forces collaborated effectively in providing a safe environment free of major incidents. We congratulate Mr. Ayo Fayose on his election, and commend Governor Fayemi on graciously accepting the results. We urge all parties to accept the outcome as representing the will of Ekiti’s voting public.”
It is however not clear how the Nigerian Army arrived at the decision to retire General Momoh or if the accused General got a fair hearing.
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