The Nigerian Army has refuted reports initiated from a section of the media that its soldiers invaded the Enugu residence of a retired army officer and evicted his family forcefully.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a press statement in Abuja, said the story was up to tarnish the image and reputation of the Nigerian Army.
”It is expedient to set the record straight and clear grey areas on the ejection of the retired senior officer,” he said.
General Nwachukwu further stated that House 7 on Abakaliki Lane was among the Federal Government houses accommodating Army officers in Enugu for over two decades.
“The house was allocated to retired Col. E L Ugwoke, then a Major, as his official residence when he was posted as the Deputy Commander 82 Division Intelligence Group in 2007,” Nwachukwu said.
He said the officer continued to occupy the house given to him by the Nigerian Army upon his transfer to another division, pleading that his family be given the opportunity to remain in the house in Enugu to avoid inconvenience.
Thereafter, he attempted to wickedly accrue the house to himself using some officials of Enugu State government.
The General said that in 2020, a committee was inaugurated by the then General Officer Commanding (GOC) to ascertain the status of the property (House 7 on Abakaliki Lane).
“The property was discovered to be among the houses handed over to 82 Division by past administrators to ameliorate accommodation challenges of the division,” Brig. Gen. Nwachukwu said.
According to him, the committee also found out that ”the property, House 7 on Abakaliki Lane GRA Enugu situated on plot R/30B old GRA Enugu is among the Federal Government properties occupied by the Enugu State Government and other Federal Government Parastatals and Agencies after the civil war”.
“This fact is corroborated by the search on the property from the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development which confirmed that there was no record of ownership of the property in its archive.
“House 7 on Abakaliki Lane GRA Enugu State was among the houses handed over to 82 Division by past administrators to ameliorate the accommodation challenges of the Division.
“The said property was not among 26 residential quarters officially handed over to the Enugu State Government in 2015.
“There are no documents to confirm that the said property was sold or paid for by anyone,” he said.
General Nwachukwu said that the Army officer failed to vacate the accommodation as it was a necessity which waited for his compliance.
He also said that the alleged assault of the retired officer’s family in the said publication was outright falsehood fashioned to destroy the identity of the Nigerian Army.
He said the Nigerian Army ”is a disciplined institution with utmost regard for family institution, as well as the vulnerable, particularly women and children”.
According to him, the ejection process was documented both visually and in audio format as it was envisaged that such allegations could arise.
