The Nigerian Army has explained that suspected soldiers held in connection with a bullion van robbery in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State are not their men.
Col. Aliyu Yusuf, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations in 82 Division, said this in a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday in Enugu.
Yusuf said the two men are not serving in any Army unit, command, formation or division.
“The attention of Headquarters 82 Division, Nigerian Army has been drawn to an online publication on the unfortunate bullion van robbery incident at Abakaliki, Ebonyi State on July 29 which led to the arrest of two suspected dismissed soldiers and other gangsters involved in the act.
“It is necessary to inform the public that the so-called soldiers in the report are not personnel of the Nigerian Army since 2015 and 2018 when both Corporal Ayeni Samuel and Corporal Emeka Harrison were dismissed.
Yusuf said Corporal Samuel was dismissed in 2018 for desertion and pipeline vandalism at 174 Battalion, while Corporal Harrison was tried and dismissed from 7 Division Garrison, Maiduguri in 2015.