BRT Mayhem: Army Reveals What Really Happened

Contrary to the report that some soldiers caused mayhem last Friday at Palmgrove, Lagos, after a BRT bus killed a soldier, the Army authorities have said the soldiers were not responsible for the damages but hoodlums who hijacked the situation.

BRT buses being burnt after a soldier was knocked down

In a statement made available to Vanguard and signed by the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Omale Ochagwuba, the army said the Lance corporal of the Nigerian army who met his untimely death on July 4 was on his way to the office on Ikorodu Road around Obanikoro area between 6:30 and 6:45am, when he was knocked down and killed by a BRT bus with number plate KSF 995 XJ.

The statement said, "It is pertinent to state here that the late soldier was riding a power bike approved by the state government and he was neither riding inside a BRT lane nor was the BRT bus that killed him driving inside the BRT lane. The innocent law-abiding soldier was killed on the normal lane being plied by everybody as against what is being alleged by some sections of the media. The soldier was hit from the rear and killed instantly."

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The Nigerian army also attacked Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka who after the incident said the army had gone mad and were allies of Boko Haram.

According to the army, in less than two weeks, Soyinka made two careless and offensive statements, adding that sometimes he speaks without weighing the consequences of what he is saying.

"In a situation where a respected elder statesman will stand up in a public function and based on hear-say call a respected professional organisation like the Nigerian Army which is one of the major pillars of democracy and fighting to keep the country together as mad, is unfortunate and unbecoming.

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"The Nigerian Army is a professional force which is law-abiding like any other citizen. The military is a highly disciplined organisation which also takes necessary steps to see that its erring members are brought to book at any time the need arises to enforce discipline," the statement read in part.

Ochagwuba also praised the Lagos State Government for the mature way it handled the situation.

Source: Legit.ng