Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, yesterday, Tuesday, January 9, 2024, said that the soldier that engaged Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu in a war of words over his colleague arrested for plying one-way has been arrested.

He stated that the said soldier does not represent the Nigerian Army, adding that he would be thoroughly investigated for contravening rules of his engagement.

Speaking shortly to reporters in Enugu State after visiting the headquarters of the 82 division, Lagbaja said: “I want to say that the soldier that was apprehended by the governor of Lagos does not represent Nigerian Army. In every respect, he contravened what we stand for, which is discipline as an army and he contravened the Constitution and the laws of Lagos State. And so, we frown at that as an army.

“But on what you have alleged that soldiers have gone to the social media casting aspersion on the office and person of the governor of Lagos, I will say, it’s only one soldier that has done that.

“The army has investigated. That soldier has been apprehended. And we’re investigating. For every other comical act that you are seeing on social media, they’re not personnel of the Nigerian Army. We have investigated that. From the mode of the dressing of some of them, you will know that they are not personnel of the Nigerian Army.

“One of them was wearing the cap badge upside down. You know that is not the personnel of the Nigerian Army.

“An officer can never do that. From the utterances that some of these people made, you will know that the angle from which they’re talking from was politics. So, we leave it at that.”

“For the ones that pertains to the army, we’re investigating. It’ll be treated accordingly.

“Even this morning as I arrived Enugu, the chief of army administration, sent me a draft directive that he was sending down to all formations and units of the Nigerian Army to further sensitize our troops on the need to be discipline and abide with the laws of every community where they’re deployed.

“So, we’re serious about upholding laws, rules and remaining discipline. We will enforce that on our personnel”

Sanwo-Olu had on January 2, ordered the arrest of a soldier and some commercial motorcyclists (Okada riders) for driving against the traffic on the Lagos-Badagry expressway.

The governor gave the order while returning from the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo where he had gone to inaugurate a project sponsored by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Sanwo-Olu was later criticized by a soldier in a video for ordering the arrest of his colleague and three other motorcycle riders for riding against the flow of traffic on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. (Pieced together from reports by The Guardian and The Nation)

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