The Nigerian Army has provided clarification regarding the detention of Lance Corporal Musa Adamu, stating that he was not detained for converting from Islam to Christianity, as reported on social media. In a statement, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, described the reports as false and a misrepresentation of the truth. He emphasized that the accusations were tainted with religious bigotry and aimed against the Nigerian Army.
The statement explained that Lance Corporal Musa Adamu, who was attached to the 63 Brigade as part of an ongoing operation, was found preaching in uniform on a social media platform, which violated the Armed Forces of Nigeria's social media policy. As a result, he was invited for interrogation by the appropriate authorities. Instead of cooperating with the investigation, Lance Corporal Musa Adamu chose to abscond for a period of approximately six and a half months, leading to his classification as Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL).
Brigadier General Nwachukwu further stated that this action by Lance Corporal Musa Adamu breached the provisions outlined in the Armed Forces Act, specifically Section 58(a)(b) regarding obstruction of Provost Officers, and Section 59(a)(b) concerning Absence Without Leave. It is important to note that when a personnel member is absent from their unit for seven days without justification, they are deemed to be AWOL. This triggers the freezing of their salary account until they return to their unit and face appropriate disciplinary measures.
The statement emphasized that Lance Corporal Musa Adamu's detention was not unlawful. It refuted the erroneous notion that he was being targeted for converting from Islam to Christianity and preaching the gospel. The soldier was detained as part of an investigation based on the statutory provisions of the Armed Forces Act.
The Nigerian Army aims to clarify the situation, dispel the false allegations, and assert that Lance Corporal Musa Adamu's detention is in line with the appropriate legal framework.
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