The Nigerian Army has arrested Colonel Audu Ogli Achigili, a senior officer who had recently and publicly accused top military officials of deliberately blocking his promotion to Brigadier General.

According to Sahara Reporters, Colonel Achigili, who boasts decades of service across multiple front lines and international deployments, was apprehended by soldiers at his private residence on Monday morning.

The arrest follows Colonel Achigili’s allegations on Sunday that the Army Council’s 2023 approval of his promotion had been stalled by a deliberate plot.

He claimed the issue was influenced by a local land dispute involving his community.

On Monday morning, soldiers reportedly stormed the senior officer’s home and forcibly removed him.

Video footage obtained by SaharaReporters shows Colonel Achigili being dragged into a waiting vehicle in the presence of his distressed family.

His son’s voice can be heard protesting the arrest in the video: “See how they are dragging my father,” his son cried out in the video.

In other footage, his visibly upset son lamented the disrespect shown to his father despite his service to the nation.

“They paid a sergeant to come and arrest my father in the Nigerian Army,” he said.

“They want to kill my dad. They are taking him away. After working for the Nigerian Army for many years, they are taking him away.”

In his earlier public statement, Colonel Achigili recounted an extensive service record, including commanding 82 Records Office in Abakaliki, 73 Battalion in Kano, and Nigerian Battalion 38 (NIBATT 38) under the United Nations Mission in Liberia in 2017.

“I commanded Sector 3 Garrison in the North East Operation Hardin Kai for two years and fought ferociously to protect the people. I participated in Operation Harmony (IV) Bakassi Peninsula (1998- 2000). I served in the African Union Mission in Darfur (2006- 2007),” he said.

He also noted his role in restoring order during the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) crisis in Lagos in 2001, during the tenure of then–Governor Bola Tinubu (now Nigeria’s President), where he narrowly survived the Ikeja cantonment bomb blast.

“In 2001 when our current President Bola Tinubu, was the Lagos State Governor, I fought to restore law and order during the OPC crisis in Lagos and nearly lost my life when the bomb blast occurred in lkeja Lagos,” he said.

Despite multiple awards for “unblemished service,” he stated, “In 2023 the Army Council approved my promotion to the rank of Brigadier General but till date it has not been given to me.”

Colonel Achigili specifically alleged that the obstruction to his promotion was linked to a local land dispute in his home community, Oglewu, Benue State.

He claimed the clan head of the community influenced the former Military Secretary (Army), Maj. Gen. Gabriel Ochigbano (retired), to block his elevation.

“He was a classmate and friend of General Ochigbano at Government Secondary School, Atilo in 1985,” he said, identifying the District Head as Dr John Ochai.

He lamented a decline in leadership standards, claiming the current promotion process favors “godsons” over merit.

He noted that officers who are his juniors or only slightly senior are issuing directives for his retirement preparation, which he described as a violation of the military’s oath of integrity.

“The former Military Secretary working against my elevation was four years senior to me but the current one is one year my senior from the NDA,” he said.

The officer also sharply criticized the latest round of promotions from Brigadier General to Major General, alleging a lack of merit and seniority.

He claimed that members of the Nigerian Defence Academy 41st Regular Course were sidelined in favor of junior officers, with only two members of the course promoted, one of whom is deceased.

“For example, members of the 41st course were downplayed in favour of their juniors and these are great and gallant officers. In that course only two officers were promoted; one of them was a deceased officer,” he said.

You may also like