SaharaReporters had reported that some Nigerian soldiers allegedly invaded the Enugu residence of a retired army officer, Emeka Ugwuoke and evicted his family.
The Nigerian Army on Thursday said it had issued three official notices and several appeal to Colonel Emeka Ugwoke (Retd.) to vacate House 7 on Abakaliki Lane in Enugu State, after his retirement in 2021, before it ordered his eviction.
SaharaReporters had reported that some Nigerian soldiers allegedly invaded the Enugu residence of a retired army officer, Emeka Ugwuoke and evicted his family.
SaharaReporters had gathered that the soldiers allegedly assaulted his wife and children in the process.
The soldiers were reportedly about 40 in number and from the 82 Division Enugu. They allegedly stormed the residence of the retired officer at 1:15 am on Wednesday.
The soldiers suspected to be acting on orders of the General Officer Commanding, GOC, Nigeria Army, 82 Division, Enugu, Major General, Aminu Chinade reportedly destroyed the family’s belongings.
Addressing journalists, Colonel Ugwuoke (retd.) disclosed that the property had been monetised to him by its owner, “Enugu state government”, adding that he had the necessary papers but the GOC refused to attend to him concerning the acquisition of the property.
Regretting the incident, Ugwuoke said the soldiers invaded his home when he was not around, manhandled and threw out his family at an ungodly hour of the night.
However, the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on Thursday, described the report as misleading, stressing that the retired officer’s wife and children were not brutalised.
The army said, "House 7 on Abakaliki Lane is among Federal Government houses accommodating Nigerian Army officers in Enugu for over 2 decades. The house was allocated to Colonel Ugwoke (Rtd) then Major EL Ugwoke as his official residence, when he was posted to 82 Division Military Intelligence Brigade, then Intelligence Group as the Deputy Commander 82 Division Intelligence Group in 2007.
"The officer continued to occupy the house even after he was posted out of the division, sequel to his plea that his family be allowed to remain in Enugu for convenience, rather than moving them from place to place. It is however later discovered that the retired senior officer dubiously used the official letter head of his office on three different occasions to solicit the monetization of the house through some officials of the Enugu State Government.
"In 2020, when it was observed that the retired senior officer was attempting to wrongly appropriate to himself, the official quarters (House 7 on Abakaliki Lane) which was still the property of 82 Division Nigerian Army through the State Government, a committee was instituted by then General Officer Commanding (GOC) to ascertain the status of the said property and the committee made the following findings;
"That House 7 on Abakaliki Lane GRA Enugu situated on plot R/30B old GRA Enugu is among the Federal Government properties occupied by the Enugu State Government and other Federal Government Parastatals and Agencies after the civil war. This fact is corroborated by the search on the property from the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development which confirmed that there was no record of ownership of the property in its archive.
"House 7 on Abakaliki lane GRA Enugu State was among the houses handed over to 82 Division by past administrator to ameliorate the accommodation challenges of the Division.
"That the said property was not among 26 residential quarters officially handed over to the Enugu State Government in 2015.
"That there are no documents to confirm that the said property was sold or paid for by anyone. It is worthy of note that officers of the NA occupying institutionalized houses are expected to vacate such accommodation while on posting or retirement. However, the retired senior officer failed to comply knowing fully of the rippling effects on accommodation status of other posted in and serving officers.
“In the misleading publication, it was alleged that the retired senior officer's wife and children were brutalised, which is outright falsehood aimed at whipping up undue sentiments. It must be stated unambiguously that the Nigerian Army is a discipline institution with utmost regard for the family institution and the vulnerable, particularly women and children.
"The scenario painted by the writer is therefore a facade and should be taken with a pinch of salt. The ejection process was audio visually documented, as it was envisaged that such allegation could arise. Emphatically, neither the wife nor children were brutalized and no property was damaged in the process of eviction.
"The retired senior officer's belongings were simply transferred from the house in question to his personal house at number 127 Park Avenue, GRA Enugu to pave way for other serving officers to be accommodated. This was after serving the retired officer three previous official notices and several appeal for him to vacate the property after his retirement in 2021.”