A Non-governmental Organisation, ‘Dynamic Patriotic Citizens Foundation’ has condemned the recent calls for the dismissal of Army Logistics Officer, Maj. Gen. Erema Akerejola by Centre for Social Justice Equity and transparency (CSJET) over alleged misappropriation.
They described the call for Akerejola’s dismissal as baseless and heartless.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, had debunked an article by an online media, which accused Akerejola of using funds from the military budget to pay for a million-dollar property in the United States.
A statement jointly by the NGO group’s Director of Research, Documentation and Evaluation, Com. Gani Muhammed and Director of Orientation and Mobilization, Sunday Alpheus Orji said the call for the dismissal of the army officer was an attempt to distract him.
The statement reads: “We are the Dynamic Patriotic Citizens Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization that is out to encourage hard-working and patriotic Citizens working diligently, with patriotism, in serving the Nation Nigeria.
“We are always on the field as a watchdog to monitor Nigerians in positions of authority to bring out the best in them, by encouraging them to focus on their jobs with seriousness and condemn anyone found to be unpatriotic in the service of the Nation.
“We have monitored recent News making the round as regards one Major General Erema Akerejola of the Nigerian Army Headquarters, Abuja, and are therefore compelled to make this Press Release to condemn in strong terms attempts by faceless individuals and groups masquerading as NGO to blackmail, demean and defame the character and integrity of a hardworking, patriotic Military Office including sponsoring negative press releases and unsubstantiated allegations against his person and his family.
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“As an NGO that has been profiling and monitoring the Nigerian Army vis a vis the fight against insurgents in Nigeria, we have observed that his traducers have resulted to this incessant harassment, sheer blackmail and a deliberate attempt to rub his image in the mud and to whip up sentiments against him through the usual traditional and social media trial and conviction without real trial which is with the ultimate aim of bringing him down when all attempts to hoodwink him out of office with ignominy.
“We wish to call on the general public through your mediums and media organizations to disregard the antics of these mischief makers, seeking cheap popularity to bring the reputation of Major General Akerejola to disrepute and reduce his status in integrity in the estimation of the public.
“Lastly, we wish to assure the general public that the last has not been heard about this matter as we are sure that the General at the center of it all will seek legal redress to dissuade these traducers and those sailing in the same ship that not everyone can succumb to blackmail; and ridicule through their failed attempts at painting him black to make the Nigerian Army to sack him and therefore taking his job through the backdoor.”