Sen. Abaribe Says He Was Not Harassed By Soldiers In Abia

Former Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has denied social media reports that he was molested and had an altercation with the army somewhere in Obingwa, describing it as false.

He, instead, commended the officers and men of the Nigerian Army for being professional in their engagement with the civil populace.

Abaribe, in a statement by his Media Adviser, Uchenna Awom, described as “laughable, the false report that soldiers humbled and delayed me at a checkpoint while returning from a burial in Obingwa, last Thursday.” He stated, rather, that soldiers at the said checkpoint were very courteous and professional in carrying out their duties.

“I was never accosted, delayed or approached in a disrespectful manner by the soldiers. My observation, at that point, was that of a professional force carrying out their duty in a most humane and respectful manner, despite the ugly events of the day. So, one wonders the motive of the author of the jaundiced and highly speculative report, even to the speculation that the said writer also overheard me calling the state governor to intervene and heard the response of Governor Alex Otti.

“I am not the type to be dragged into a shadow and very unwarranted hatred against Governor Otti. If I have any issues to clarify with the government, I will approach the governor directly. I salute the soldiers and reiterate my earlier statement condemning what happened, last Thursday. That report is false and authored to achieve a devious political goal”, Abaribe added.