Lt Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff, has stated that the Nigerian Army has detained the soldier who chastised Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for ordering the arrest of his colleague and three other motorcyclists for driving against traffic on the Lagos-Badagry expressway.
Lagbaja stated that the Army is dissatisfied with the soldier’s actions, which violate the force’s discipline.
While speaking to the media in Enugu on Tuesday about the troops’ actions, Lagbaja stated that the soldiers in question had been detained and that an investigation into others who had done similarly was proceeding.
“The Army has investigated, and the soldier has been apprehended, and we are investigating for every other comical that you have seen on social media,” he said.
Lagbaja claimed that the soldier the governor arrested for driving one way did not represent the Nigerian Army and that his actions were in violation of both the constitution and the force’s code of conduct.
He said, “I want to say that the soldier that was apprehended by the governor of Lagos State while playing on a one way, does not represent the Nigerian Army because, in every respect, it contravenes what we stand for which is discipline as an Army and the constitution and the laws of Lagos State.”
He, however, noted that contrary to the claims that three officers of the force had come out to defend their colleague and faulted the state governor, only one of them was an officer of the force.
“And we frown at that as Army but what you alleged that soldiers have gone to the social media casting aspersions on the person and the office of the governor of Lagos State, I will say it’s only one soldier that has done that. The others are not personnel of the Nigerian Army.
“We have investigated the mode of dressing of some of them, and you will know that they are not personnel of the Nigerian Army.
“One of them was wearing the badge upside down and you will know that that is not a personnel of the Nigerian Army. An officer can never do that. And from the utterances that these people made, you’ll know the angle from which they are talking. They are talking about politics, not the Army.
“So, we will leave it like that for the ones that pertain to the army we are investigating to be treated accordingly.”
Speaking further, Lagbaja said the troops will be sensitised on the disciplined and law-abiding to the constitution of communities where they are posted to discharge their duties.
“Even this morning as I arrived in Enugu, the Chief of Administration, Army, sent me a draft directive that he was sending down to all formations and units of the Nigerian Army to further sensitise our troops on the need to be disciplined and abide by the laws of every community where they are deployed.
“So, we are serious about upholding laws, and rules and remaining disciplined and we will enforce that on our personnel,” assured.
