On Wednesday, the Nigerian Army (NA) expressed deep concern about the alleged involvement of two of its personnel in a reported case of theft at the Dangote Refinery in Lagos.
This was contained in a statement made available to Defence Correspondents in Abuja by Director Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu
According to the statement, “This act of criminality, which was prevented by the proactive intervention of vigilant troops and private security operatives on duty at the refinery, is totally unacceptable and highly regrettable. It does not, therefore, represent the ethics and values of the NA”
It confirmed that the two suspects involved have been identified and were currently under custody.
It pointed out that Preliminary investigation had revealed that the two suspects were hired by a civilian contractor simply identified as Mr Smart, who claimed he wanted to recover some Armoured cables he had left behind on the refinery’s premises.
According to it, ” Unknown to the soldiers, the said contractor, sensing trouble as they approached the security post, excused himself from the vehicle and bolted, leaving them behind.
” Further investigations are ongoing to fully ascertain the depth of culpability of the apprehended soldiers. Additionally, the stolen cables have been recovered and are in safe custody”.
” The NA is working closely with the management of the Dangote Refinery to ensure a thorough investigation into this unfortunate incident.
It reassured the general public that appropriate disciplinary measures would be meted out to the culprits, as no act of criminality would be condoned amongst its personnel.
It stated that the Service remained steadfast in ensuring that the key values of discipline and integrity were adequately entrenched amongst its personnel.
” We shall also continue to cultivate and promote dedication and a culture of accountability and ethical behaviours within our ranks.”
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