The Defence headquarters has described as “ignorant” the comments made by the former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, regarding the Abuja-Kaduna train and Kuje Custodial Centre attacks.
Fani-Kayode had accused the military of complicity, leading to the attack that led to the escape of about 600 inmates including terrorists.
However, in a statement issued Saturday night, the Director, Defence Information, Major General Jimmy Akpor described as laughable the allegations that the military withdrew its personnel from the Kuje Custodial Centre, saying that Fani-Kayode was ignorant of whose responsibility it was to guard custodial centres.
The statement partly read, “The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to a video produced by Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, wherein he made wild and unsubstantiated allegations against the Armed Forces of Nigeria, regarding the recent spate of terrorist attacks particularly, the attack of the prison in Kuje – Abuja on July 5, 2022.
“Ordinarily, the video and its maker would have been ignored, considering the antecedents of the person behind it as a known rabble-rouser. However, in the interest of members of the public who might be misled by the deliberate falsehood and the sensibilities of service personnel and their families who have been paying dearly to keep Nigerians safe, it has become urgent to respond to the video currently circulating on social media.
“Among other allegations, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode claimed that the Department of State Security informed the military about the impending attack on Kuje Custodial Centre and even the previous attack on the Kaduna – Abuja rail service. He also claimed that soldiers were withdrawn shortly before the prison attack. In all these allegations, Mr Kayode is merely playing to the gallery. He is not in any position to know whether the DSS notified the military of any attack or not. It may not be impossible that such a claim is part of a calculated attempt to cause division and rivalry amongst all Government Agencies that have been working collaboratively in addressing issues of insecurity in the country.
“The claim that soldiers were withdrawn from the Kuje Correctional Custodial Centre before the attack is laughable. It is sad that Mr Kayode is ignorant of whose responsibility it to guard prison.”
The DHQ noted that Fani-Kayode’s comments on Shiroro terrorists’ attack, which resulted in the unfortunate death of some soldiers, some policemen and members of the public, was an attempt to smear the military and create bad blood between service personnel and the military high command.
The DHQ also asked the former minister to refresh himself on the constitutional roles of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, saying that the Nigerian Armed Forces had toiled to sustain and nurture our democracy, hence the same military could not “contemplate a coup de tat, as alluded to by Mr Kayode in his video.”
“This is indeed a difficult time for the Armed Forces of Nigeria and Nigerians as a whole. It is not time for attention-seeking individuals to cause needless distractions. Members of the public are therefore urged to ignore Mr Femi Fani-Kayode and continue to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities promptly to law enforcement agencies,” the statement concluded.
