The 81 Division Nigerian Army has stated that the two men who claimed to be soldiers arrested for alleged cultism by the police in Ogun were not personnel of the Nigerian Army.
This is contained in a statement in Abeokuta on Thursday by Lieut.-Col. Musa Yahaya, Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 81 Division Nigerian Army.
Yahaya explained that preliminary investigation revealed that one of them, Ex-Private Adeshola Lukuman, was a deserter who abandoned his place of duty since April, 2023 while serving at the Army Central Ammunition Depot, Agunu in Kachia, Kaduna State.
He noted that the second suspect falsely claimed to be a soldier, apparently in an attempt to evade arrest and gain undeserved leniency.
The acting deputy director added that Nigerian Army remained a highly disciplined institution that maintained that a zero-tolerance policy for cultism and other forms of criminal association.
” Participation in cult-related activities is strictly prohibited, and severe sanctions are imposed on any personnel found to be involved.
” We therefore, urge the Nigerian Police, sister security agencies, and media organizations to verify and cross-check their facts with appropriate Nigerian Army authorities before rushing to the media on matters involving personnel of the Nigerian Army.
” We shall continue to collaborate with sister security agencies and state government agencies and their communities in the fight against cultism, drug abuse, and other forms of criminality.
” We won’t allow anything to threaten peace, stability and legal economic activities in our area of responsibility,” he said.
Yahaya advised the public to disregard the misleading report, saying it does not reflect the true image of the Nigerian Army.
It would be recalled that the police in Ogun says it arrested two soldiers and 20 others suspected to be cultists during a midnight raid at Hilton Hotel, Osiele, Abeokuta , by the Anti-Cultism Unit
