National Security Adviser, NSA, and human rights groups over
deployment of soldiers to Government House, Owerri.
The government, in a statement by Senior Special Assistant to Governor
Rochas Okorocha on Media, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, alleged that the
soldiers were deployed on the order of a minister.
The statement read: "Government decided to petition these quarters
knowing that soldiers would not come with armoured vehicles to
Government House, Owerri, without somebody ordering them to do so and
without the person having reason for doing so.
"The government's worry becomes more pronounced when it is recalled
that there was no problem of any kind in any part of the state on or
before that day.
"There was no riot, crisis or clash. Then why did the army come? These
are questions we would like the authorities we have petitioned to
unveil.
"The army is a sacred institution that could only be called out when a
situation in a given place has overwhelmed other security agencies
like the police, Department State Services, DSS; the Civil Defence and
so on.
"There was no ugly situation in any part of the state last Tuesday,
not to talk about any situation the police, DSS, et al, could not
handle.
"We are calling for investigation because the government had been told
that some people from a neighbouring state were hired by a junior
minister to come and set Government House ablaze and the soldiers were
brought in to give protection to the hired elements, with the soldiers
ignorant of why they were deployed there."
--Vanguard
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