Comrade David Obebadol of Bayelsa State at the weekend sent a protest letter to the authorities of the Nigerian Army over the alleged June, 2019 assault on his person by a military personnel identified as Lance Corporal, John Efele attached to the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Kolo Creek flow station.

According to the letter, written by the Counsel to the victim, Barr. Aluzu Augustine, the authorities of the Nigerian Army had been “dancing” over the plight of Obebadol with the claim that the accused Lance Corporal John Efele was suffering from mental instability.

Aluzu Augustine, Esq , who is also the arch-convener of a non-profit-organisation, Patriotism Advancement and Community Orientation Network (PACON), stated in the letter that the assaulted man has also given the Nigerian Army a one-month ultimatum to compensate him for his rights that were violated in the hands of the soldier attached to the 5th Batallion of the Nigeran Army, Elele.

In the letter, Comrade Obebadol is seeking a compensation of ₦150,000,000 among other things.

“We are privy to the reply of the Nigerian Army hereinafter referred to as “the Army” to our Client through the National Human Rights Commission in Bayelsa State in a letter dated 17th October 2019, with reference number 16/BOE/EI/300/24 in which the Army acknowledged the gross human rights violation of our Client on the 13th day of June, 2019 by a Soldier under its employ. The Army further states that the Soldier has a history of mental instability.

“It is clear from the said letter that the Army is dancing on the plight of our client in their bid to cover up the act of gross unprofessionalism from Lance Corporal John Efele under the blanket statement of ‘mental instability’ with no specification as to the exact type of mental illness he is suffering from. It is based on the above that it is now pertinent to put certain facts in proper perspectives.

“For the records, the two-page reply letter by the Army heavily spat on the wounds of our client by relying on an imaginary mental illness to justify the unkind treatment meted on our client and the motor park behavior of Lance Corporal John Efele who has no medical report attached to the said reply letter.

“It is even worrisome to learn that a person who is alleged to have been exhibiting ‘persistent irrational behavior’ is retained as a serving officer in one of the elitist Armed Forces in West Africa. The Nigerian Army has once again shown the nature of the men we are forced to contend with as citizens on a daily basis,” he stated.

It would be recalled that on June 13 this year, Mr. Obebadol was alleged to have been assaulted by soldiers attached to the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Kolo Creek flow station. (New Telegraph)

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