GENERAL AZUBUIKE IHEJIRIKA (RTD)
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BEVERLY HILLS, September 05, (THEWILL) – The Lagos State chapter of the pan-Igbo socio-cultural group, Ndigbo Lagos, has condemned what it described as the defamation of the character of former Chief of Army Staff, General Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd).
Faulting the allegations of the Australian negotiator Stephen Davies linking Ihejirika to Boko Haram, the group, in its position on the matter, called on the Federal Government to institute a high powered inquiry to address what it described as the obnoxious allegation and finally lay it to rest.
In a statement issued Thursday by the Director of Communications and Strategy, Ndigbo Lagos, Chuma Igwe, the group said: “The apparently procured, choreographed and orchestrated interview on Arise Television on Thursday August 28 in which a certain Stephen Davies an Australian of the ilk of many white mercenaries prowling the African continent, accused General Ihejirika of being a sponsor of Boko Haram is most condemnable.”
Ndigbo Lagos noted that “ In the said interview, Mr. Davies did not adduce or suggest any single evidence to support his
Accusation, “ adding “ Curiously when in the same breadth he said he has knowledge of the sponsor of the Abuja Nyanya bombing, he refused to name names.”
The statement further said: “Most tragic in this choreographed defamation of an illustrious General, is the interviewer’s unprofessionalism in failing to demand evidence from Ihejirika’s accuser, Mr Stephen Davies. General Ihejirika has since denied this allegation. Given the lack of evidence, the nature of delivery of the allegation and the character of the accused General, Ndigbo Lagos believes Ihejirika’s traducers are playing dirty politics.
“General Ihejirika will be remembered for being one of the most outstanding Commanders Nigeria has had. He is not only an accomplished tactician but also a Strategic leader of a fighting force. In his time he not only decimated the fighting capability of Boko Haram but also built enduring military institutions to permanently checkmate insurgency in Nigeria.
“According to the Vanguard on-line of 27th August 2014, General Ihejirika “not only established the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army with headquarters in Maiduguri, he also established new Army Brigades, Counter Terrorism Schools in Kachia and Jaji ……………”.
“When Ihejirika retired from the Army, the same self- selected Northern bigots wanted him tried by The World Court for being overzealous in crushing Boko Haram. Eight months down the road, the same General Ihejirika is now accused of being a sponsor. The orchestration of this insidious allegation by Nasir El Rufai, a character fast drifting gracelessly in to the ethnic bigoted pit of hell, reveals the tragic indulgence in denial, escapism by the same self centred Northern politicians who would rather create hell to rule over than serve in heaven.
“As Ndigbo Lagos advised the likes of Nasir El Rufai earlier, those who ride the tiger will inevitably find themselves in the belly of the tiger. We therefore call on the Federal Government to institute a high powered inquiry to address this obnoxious allegation and lay it to rest.”
