Military denies detention of naval rating for 6 years

The military high command says there is no truth in an allegation that it arrested and detained Seaman Abbas Haruna for six years.

It would be recalled that Haruna’s wife, Hussaina Iliya, had on a popular radio station in Abuja accused the military of unjustly detaining her husband since 2018.

She specifically accused a senior military officer, Brig. Gen. A.S. Adamu, of ordering his detention.

Her claims went viral, prompting Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, and Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to order an investigation into the matter.

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A few days after the order, a video emerged on social media showing Haruna resisting attempts to disarm him by other personnel.

Although the video sighted by our correspondent went blank during the attempts, several gunshots could be heard.

In an interview with journalists during the weekend, the Director of Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, explained that Haruna was never arrested.

“He was never under arrest. People are just making an issue out of no issue,” the senior military officer clarified.

Reacting to Haruna’s whereabouts in response to his wife’s claim that he had been in the military’s holding facility for six years, Gusau said this would be revealed after the investigation is concluded.

Gusau added, “Investigation is currently ongoing. By the time the investigation report is ready, we will inform Nigerians what happened and where he is.

“She knows her husband was never under arrest. At the right time, we will let people know what happened.”