Channels interview: DHQ Denies Declaring Commodore Kunle Olawunmi (retd) Wanted

Channels interview: DHQ Denies Declaring Commodore Kunle Olawunmi (retd) Wanted

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has debunked claims it declared a retired commodore in the Nigerian Navy, Kunle Olawunmi, wanted following an interview he granted Channels Television’on Sunrise Daily.

The former naval officer had alleged during the interview on Wednesday that ‘known sponsors” of insurgency hold public offices in igeria.

Although he stopped short of pointing at any specific administration, the retired naval officer, who is currently the head of the department of criminology and security studies at Chrisland University, alleged that some insurgents arrested had given the names of some government officials as their backers.

“You remember this Boko Haram issue started in 2012 and I was in the military intelligence at that time. We arrested those people. My organisation actually conducted interrogation and they (suspects) mentioned names,” he had said.

‘’I can’t come on air and start mentioning names of people that are presently in government that I know that the boys that we arrested mentioned. Some of them are governors now, some of them are in the senate, some of them are in Aso Rock.”

READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Disintegration Costlier Than Staying Together – Obasanjo

On Saturday morning, there were unverified reports that the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), had declared Olawunmi wanted.

However, the spokesman of the DHQ, Benjamin Sawyerr, DHQ denied the reports.

“There is nothing like that. There is no time that the DIA ordered the arrest of the naval officer. He went on Channels Television and said a lot of things. So, someone in intelligence called him and asked him to come on Tuesday and share his information,” Sawyerr told TheCable.

“The military does not issue warrant of arrest. Only a court can order an arrest. The former officer spent a lot of time at the interview. If they wanted to arrest him, they would have done so. No one invites someone just to arrest them.”

The development comes days after the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) issued a letter of query to Channels Television over a recent interview with Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, concerning the federal government’s decision to review grazing reserves.

According to the NBC, Ortom made “inciting, divisive and unfair comments which were not thoroughly interrogated by the anchors”.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here