The Nigerian Army has set up a panel to investigate the alleged compromise of its officers to the rigging of the Ekiti State gubernatorial election in 2014.
Ayodele Fayose
The Nigerian army announced the membership of a five-man panel charged with investigating misconduct by some of its officers during the Ekiti and Osun State elections in 2014.
The President of the Investigative Panel, Major General Adeniyi Oyebade, told the media and public that the panel had two weeks to submit a report of their findings and recommendations to the Chief of Army Staff Tukur Buratai.
The members of the panel include: Major General Adeniyi Oyebade as the President, Colonel Danladi Salihu as the secretary, Brigadier Generals Emmanuel Kabuk, Sunday Araoye, and Baba Ibrahim.
SaharaReporters first broke the Ekitigate scandal in February 2015 through the release of audio recordings and transcripts of Brigadier General Aliyu Momoh accepting bribes from former Minister of State for Defense, Musiliu Obanikoro, former Minister of Police Affairs Jelili Adesiyan, Senator Iyiola Omisore, and Governor Ayo Fayose.
The whistleblower, Captain Sagir Koli, provided evidence to SaharaReporters detailing the plot to rig the Ekiti State gubernatorial election in favour of Fayose and the attempt to do the same for Osun State.
In an abuse of his authority, Brigadier General Momoh retaliated against Mr. Koli for leaking the details of this plot. Brigadier General Momoh incarcerated Mr. Koli’s younger brother, Adamu Koli, a civilian, without charge and chained him to a bed at the Adekunle Fanjuyi Cantonment. The illegal incarceration and torture of Adamu Koli was intended to lure Captain Koli out of hiding.