‘HIJACKED N400’: Beyond The Obvious

Recently, the media space has been inundated with the story of some soldiers who were detailed on escort duty from Sokoto to Kaduna for a VIP whom they allegedly robbed.

The soldiers, Cpl Gabriel Oluwaniyi, Cpl Mohammed Aminu, LCpl Commander Haruna, LCpl Oluji Joshua, and LCpl Hayatudee, who are said to be members of Operation Harbin Kunama III Sokoto, made away with a purported sum of N400m, a sum the army say is not confirmed.

Expectedly, the Nigerian Army has commenced investigations on the alleged stealing of money by these soldiers. The military authorities had quizzed Hakeem Otiki, a major general and former general officer commanding, GOC, of the division, who ordered the five soldiers to escort the money.

Apart from the quizzing, the former GOC was said to be under close watch and would be brought to Abuja after he was cross-examined by the Directorate of Military Intelligence, the Special Intelligence Bureau and the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police.

Reports have it that the runaway soldiers turned in their rifles and abandoned their mobile phones at the infantry corps in Jaji, Kaduna state before they escaped.

A statement from the Nigerian army through Col. Sagir Musa, Acting Director Army Public Relations last week indicated that the army is carrying out a routine investigation expected from it after such an incident has occurred. Specifically, the army had said that while it was true the personnel have absconded with large amounts of money belonging to a VIP they were assigned to escort to Kaduna, the exact amount is not known to 8 Division Nigerian Army or the then General Officer Commanding (GOC) the Division, Major General HO Otiki, as was fallaciously imputed in some unverified media reports.

“It should be important to clarify that neither the GOC or any personnel of the Division is aware of the exact amount of money in possession of the VIP at the time of this uncommon, embarrassing, obnoxious and painful incident. It is only the person involved (the VIP) that knows the total amount involved and disclose to the media if need be.

“In the face of this disgraceful, embarrassing and unimaginable professional infraction by the five soldiers, who connived and orchestrated the robbery and thereafter deserted/absconded, the Nigerian Army authority has on receiving the report, constituted a high-powered committee to holistically, thoroughly and decisively investigate the sad incident.

“The Nigerian Army as a respected institution, under the able leadership of Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai, will do all that is necessary to fish out these criminals. Such kinds of individuals, once discovered, – have no place in today’s Nigerian Army,” it concluded.

Now, in what appears to be an excellently staged coup de grace, a VIP who is said to be expecting the money is alleged to be related to the General himself, sparking speculations that he could have masterminded the theft of the money. In fact, a report by the Sun Newspaper indicates that the Major General has been placed under house arrest at the Officers Mess and may be moved to Abuja anytime soon. Otiki is reportedly expected to be grilled by personnel from the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB), and Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police (NACMP) when he arrives in the nation’s capital.

The publication also reports that Otiki is reportedly being watched closely, so he won’t disappear; and visitors coming to see him are being screened while those who are perceived to be suspicious are not allowed access to him.

Based on the above, the interrogation of Hakeem Otiki in this army saga, however, is becoming a source of concern, considering the circumstances as well as the manner in which the said event occurred. It appears that the victim will have to become the hunted in this case. The reason for this may not be unconnected to his recent promotion to his recent rank and the exploits he has made at his command. Indeed, this is obvious.

Recent feelers emanating from this whole episode suggest a rather uncanny and unwholesome plot to get Hakeem out of the pictures as one of the contenders for the position of Chief of Defense Staff. Now this sad development calls for immediate reactions of the South West leaders as well as stakeholders in the Nigerian system.

The incident leaves little room for doubts as to the intentions of certain persons bent on ensuring he doesn’t get the position. In fact, the sketchy story with many holes and many questions begging for answers all point to witch-hunting incident to prevent Gen. Otiki from becoming the CDS (Chief of Defence Staff), the position he and three other top officers contended for while Otiki has been pinpointed to be appointed for by the Presidency.

Looking closely at the incident, a lot of things don’t add up.

Observers of this unfolding drama are still wondering how monies meant to pay troops allowance was transported from Sokoto to Kaduna by road. But all that would be left for the investigative panel, who are awaiting the arrival of the senior officer to unravel in the coming days.

An anonymous source of one of the mainstream media has also been quoted to say that the money in question does not belong to the Nigerian Army. The source said, “The Army cannot and will not give any commander that kind of money because they are not the ones that buy the weapons. That kind of money can only be given to you if they want to buy weapon but we all know that buying of weapons and ammunition is not the responsibility of General Officer Commanding, Commanding Officers or commanders.”

The source further revealed that “investigations have also shown that there was connivance with the younger brother of the officer who was acclaimed to be the VIP the soldiers were escorting because he has also disappeared into thin air and he, like the fleeing soldiers, also left his mobile phone in the car which has made it difficult for investigators to track him”.

“He (Gen. Otiki) will be there for now where he is expected to do a proper handing and taking over after which he would be brought to Abuja for further investigation and interrogation”.

At this juncture, it is safe to say that the Nigerian Army has the entire nation waiting for the result of its investigation. Indicting Hakeem without hard evidence will send the wrong messages to different quarters. Besides, a man planning this large scale of theft would have made adequate provision for his escape or even planned a better alibi than the status quo.

Femi Davies is publisher of metronewsng and writes from Lagos