June 22, 2022

…Says officer had unblemished career

The Nigerian Army has dismissed reports that one of its officers, Maj. Udiandeye Jeremiah Udiadenye, who committed suicide recently was facing court martial trial at 1 Division Kaduna.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on Wednesday, said the late officer had an unblemished career in the Nigerian army before his demise.

Nwachukwu said the insinuations alleging that the late officer terminated his life through suicide, because he was being interrogated or investigated by a military court martial was not true.

He said the Nigerian army, having lost one of its finest officers, felt deeply concerned that ‘unscrupulous persons under whatever guise’ would employ such sad occurrence to malign their own army.

“Nevertheless, for the sake of posterity, it needs be mentioned that the late senior officer had an unblemished career in the military and never needed to face any disciplinary process.

“Until his demise, he was the Commanding Officer of 167 Special Forces Battalion at Giri in the FCT from where he led special operations to various commands including 1 Division.

“An appropriate Board of Inquiry has been instituted to ascertain what led to the tragic incident and its report will guide the army on subsequent actions and measures to take to forestall a recurrence.

“The Nigerian army belongs to the Nigerian people and remains obligated to work along established guidelines as a responsible corporate entity,” he said.

Nwachukwu however, urged the public to disregard the ignorant piece making the rounds.

The late major reportedly killed himself while returning from an exercise with cadets at the new site of the NDA in Afaka, Mando on May 19.

There were reports that the deceased officer with some of his colleagues allegedly committed some infractions for which he was being tried at the 1 Division in Kaduna.