Middle Belt Group Denies Seeking Naval Chief’s Resignation 

* Passes vote of confidence on Ogalla 

The Middle Belt Pan-Nigerian Forum has described as fake and misleading, the media statement credited to it, calling for the resignation of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.

There were recent reports credited to the group, calling on Vice Admiral Ogalla to step aside in view of the allegation of aiding oil theft.

A statement credited to one Dr. Danladi Ceceko Dangana, who ascribed himself as the spokesperson for the group, said the Naval Chief’s continued stay in office may impede the investigation into his alleged involvement in crude theft, contract splitting, and other corrupt practices.

But in a twist of event, the Forum, in a well crafted statement on Thursday, signed by Dr. Victor Atokolo and Pastor Ogbole Moses, National President and Secretary General respectively, disowned the person that signed the text in the Tuesday’s media report.

The Forum said Dangana had long been expelled from the group over what it described as “selfish and dubious style”, adding that it wondered why a former member would want to drag the respected group into a matter of national security.

“We therefore call on the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, and the general public to kindly disregard the media report credited to the Middle Belt Pan-Nigerian Forum.

“We sincerely apologize to the gallant and combatant naval officer, his family and members of his team over the fake and misleading statement credited to one of our former members, Mr. Danladi Dangana. 

“It baffles us that a man who was expelled from our forum some years back, owing to his alleged selfish and dubious style such as this, could still join the enemies of Nigeria to distract a man who is doing well to protect the waterfront and marine integrity of our sea and blocking the many routes exposed to oil theft.

“The Chief of Naval Staff has done well in our observations and we make bold to pass a vote of confidence on him. We want the general public to disregard the fake outing of Dangana as it did not emanate from us. In fact, it is a figment of his wildest imagination,” the forum said.

It added that as true Nigerians who believe in justice, the forum would not want to engage in anything that would undermine the integrity and fundamental rights of any Nigerian, saying the outcome of any probe would be made known to all Nigerians and it is only then, the Forum would speak next on the allegations levelled against Ogalla.