Some Nigerians have called on the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola to tender a public apology to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Taoreed Lagbaja over false accusation.
They equally noted that the Commander, 9 Brigade, Ikeja Military Cantonment, Brigadier-General Adegoke Adetuyi also deserves an apology from the Senator.
The Senator, who represents Ogun West Senatorial District in the Red Chamber, had accused the Army in Lagos of being responsible for the death of his long-time aide, Adeniyi Sanni.
Sanni was killed in Lagos by those who later turned out to be armed robbers but wearing fake Army uniform.
The three-man gang was later paraded in Lagos by the state Police Commissioner, Owohunwa.
Parading the suspects, Owohunwa stated that fake Army uniform and arms including the weapon of the crime were recovered from the suspects.
“I think the Army deserve public apology from Senator Adeola. He had wrongly accused the Army of being responsible for his aide’s death and investigation has revealed otherwise. He should apologised particularly to Brigadier-General Adegoke Adetuyi for saying his men were responsible for the murder,” Ignatius Nwachukwu told our correspondent.
He accused Senator Adeola of hasty conclusion even when investigations have not been concluded on the matter. “I know and share his feeling for losing a trusted aide in that manner but he should have exercised a little bit of restraint,” Nwachukwu said.
Another respondent, Damilola Lawal spoke in the same vein. “He should have been cautious in his utterances. He’s a public figure and he should know that what he says counts. He should apologise to the Army Commander,” she said.
Ekpo Bassey sympathised with the Ogun Senator over the gruesome murder of his trusted aide. He however was of the opinion that the Senator was hasty in his conclusion that the Army was responsible for the crime.
“Now that the police have exonerated the Army, the honourable thing for him to do is to apologise to the Army,” he said.