Army Arrests Deserter, Others in Edo State Over Guber Elections

•Denies molesting journalists

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The Nigerian Army has arrested a deserter and 10 other suspects over plans to cause mayhem in the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo State.

The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, denying reports that security agents molested some journalists in the state.

Usman debunked the report as false but clarified that the Nigerian Army and Department of State Services (DSS) arrested 11 people including a soldier that deserted his post.

He said: “The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to an online publications alleging that Soldiers of 4 Brigade Nigerian Army and personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) Edo State command of arresting and molesting 10 journalists in Benin, Edo State earlier today.

“This is not correct as the online media did not get their facts right.

“It is important to state that sequel to the prevailing security situation in the state which led to the postponement of the earlier scheduled Gubernatorial Election in Edo State, there were credible security reports that some unpatriotic persons have hired hoodlums with the intention of causing mayhem during the forthcoming election in the State.”