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Security breach: 10 Army officers cleared
Onyedi Ojiabor, Abuja
No fewer than 10 army officers invited for interrogation over their alleged involvement in the reported security breach have been cleared.
Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Martins Agwai, who made this known at a conference to mark the 2004 Army Day celebration in Abuja on Wednesday, also said that the Federal Government had released N28 million to clear Ikeja, Cantonment, Lagos of unexploded bombs.
Although he did not name the freed soldiers, he however, confirmed that other military officers not under his command and civilians were also invited for questioning over the alleged security breach.
It was gathered that the decision to release the army officers was taken at a meeting on Tuesday by Service Chiefs after considering the report of the Special Investigation Panel that investigated the alleged breach.
Leadership Confidential, a magazine published by Free Press Limited in its May 24, 2004 edition unfolded the names of 16 people being probed for their involvement in the alleged security breach.
The people included two Beninoise that the Abuja-based magazine claimed were assisting the special panel to get to the root of the security breach.
It added that the suspects included three colonels, four lieutenant colonels, a Navy Commander; four majors, one lieutenant, a wing commander, a deputy comptroller of prisons and six civilians.
Prominent among those arrested over the alleged breach are Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, the Chief Security Officer to Late General Sani Abacha, the Director of Mobilisation of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, Alhaji Buba Galadima and the former Acting Head of Technical Department of the Nigeria Football Association, Mr. Fanny Amun.
Galadima and Amun have already been released.
At the news conference, Agwai said that since he did not set up the Special Investigation Panel, he could not say the number of military officers and civilians interrogated so far.
But he stated categorically that more than 10 soldiers were questioned and cleared.
Those interrogated and cleared, he said, had since gone back to their duty posts.
He said, �I didn�t set up the investigating panel. So I don�t know all the people that have been called. Of course, civilians have been involved. Others not under me have been involved.
�But in the Army, more than 10 officers have been involved and they had been cleared and they have gone back to their places of work.�
Agwai explained that delay in making official pronouncement on the security breach was informed by the desire of the military authorities to ensure that justice was done.
�Where there are doubts, where there are grey areas, you have to search and make sure you put real searchlight, and be perfectly convinced that nothing has gone wrong. We don�t want to leave any stone unturned because we want to see this democracy succeed.� he said
He said that there was nothing wrong in suspicion, insisting that people were merely invited for interrogation.
He gave the assurance that the duty of the SIP would not be �open-ended� and added that, �if it has not ended, it will soon end.�
Buttressing the necessity for the SIP, he said that, �human beings are human beings.
�Jesus had 12 disciples and one of them betrayed him. So human beings are human beings. So we should not say, no, it is not possible. Where there is doubt, where there is grey area, you have to search.�
On the Ikeja Cantonment, he said that the clearing would begin soon since fund for it had been released.
Agwai who added that the clearing would take between six to 12 months, explained that it would be slow but steady to ensure the safety of those involved in the operation.
Apart from military personnel, he said other agencies would be involved in the operation.
He ruled out the participation of foreign personnel in the operation saying that, �It is Nigerian business and it is Nigerians that will clear it.
�If it means sacrificing to clear the barracks, we will sacrifice. It is going to be slow but steady. If at any time, we feel we should evacuate people we will do that. We don�t want anybody to lose a limb,� he said.
The Punch, Thursday, July 1st , 2004
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