Authorities of the Nigerian Military have released the naval rating, Seaman Abbas Haruna, who was allegedly detained for about six years.
His release, it was learnt, followed the approval of some decisions taken on the issue by authorities of the Nigerian Navy.
Earlier on Friday, Weekend Trust observed that Haruna and his wife appeared again on a popular radio station in Abuja, to confirm the naval rating’s freedom from incarceration.
The couple, while narrating their ordeal at the popular Abuja radio station, disclosed that they had been ejected from Barracks, following the back-and-forth that trailed Haruna’s incarceration.
While narrating her ordeal, Haruna’s wife said, “I will be with him no matter the situation. They have discharged him. He was ejected from the barracks. I love my husband. I love him.”
A senior officer at Naval headquarters confided in our reporter that Haruna had been dismissed from the maritime force, saying he’s no longer a member of Nigeria’s armed forces.
When pressed further to find out about Haruna’s wife claim that they had been ejected from Barracks, the senior officer declined comments.
Efforts to get official reaction to the fresh claim proved abortive as calls to the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, rang out. He was yet to reply to a text message sent to him as at the time this report was filed on Friday.
It would be recalled that Haruna’s wife, Hussaina Iliya, had earlier on a radio programme accused the military of unjustly detaining her husband since 2018. Days later, the Defence Headquarters said Haruna was never arrested.
However, a video surfaced where the embattled Seaman was seen actively resisting being disarmed by some personnel and several shots were later fired.
Iliya accused a senior military officer, Brig. Gen. A.S. Adamu, of ordering her husband’s detention and torture.
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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