The Coalition of Civil Society Groups Against Terrorism in Nigeria has berated former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his exaggeration and dramatization of an unfounded report of secret burial sites for over 1000 soldiers published by the Wall Street Journal.
According to the Coalition, the swiftness at which Atiku took to both online and print media to build up the sponsored, false and malicious story brings to question the level of patriotism of the PDP presidential candidate and his wishes for Nigeria.
Fielding questions from newsmen, the Convener of the Coalition, Comrade Oladimeji Odeyemi, said Atiku’s newfound love of rubbishing Nigeria’s image at every slightest hint of fake news and his promotion of divisive messages only showcase his inordinate ambition to be seen as a leader.
The Wall Street Jornal had in an article titled, “Nigeria Buries Soldiers at Night in Secret Cemetery” alleged that the military buried soldiers in unmarked graves in the North East, an allegation the military authorities denied.
According to Defence spokesman, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu in a statement said “This insinuation can only emanate from an uninformed position of the author of the said publication.
He said, “Therefore, it must be unambiguously clarified that the Armed Forces of Nigeria does not indulge in secret burials, as it is sacrilegious and profanity to extant ethos and traditions of the Nigerian military.”
He noted further that the cemetery described in the publication, which is situated in Maimalari military Cantonment is an officially designated military cemetery for the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the North East theatre, with a Cenotaph erected in honour of our fallen heroes.
But Atiku, in a statement by his Media Office, said the alleged cover-up of the deaths of 1000 soldiers was a national emergency, calling for the setting up of a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the claims.
Berating Atiku’s stance, Odeyemi said the coordinated promotion of the report by Atiku leaves much to be desired, adding that but for mischief, the former Vice President ought to have known that the false report was planted by enemies of Nigeria in the foreign media to blackmail the Nigerian Military.
According to him, the intent of the report is clearly impish, adding that, “Our gallant soldiers are on the battlefield decimating insurgents on a daily basis and the leadership of the Army under General Tukur Yusufu Buratai has been so open with its operation even to the media, how possible is it for 1000 soldiers to be buried with silence? “Atiku urgently needs help because he has been jobless since he lost woefully to President Muhammadu Buhari who Nigerians see as a more efficient, effective and clean leader. Atiku’s comments on national matters bring more to be desired and security agencies must keep a tab on his unguarded and unpatriotic utterances.
