The Nigerian Army (NA) has dismissed claims by a civil society organisation that it forcefully and unlawfully took over a property in Enugu State.

A statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, on Thursday in Abuja, said that the property in question belong to the Army.

Nwachukwu said the claim by Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network that the 82 Division Nigerian Army had confiscated the property, was mischievous and a misrepresentation of facts.

He said that the said property belongs to the Army and was last occupied by retired Col. Emeka Ugwuoke, when he was in service.

According to him, the senior officer who was allocated the quarter during his service was ejected by the Army in April 2023 when he tried to convert the quarter to his private property after his retirement.

“Surprisingly, it is on one corner of the property which is No. 7 Abakiliki Lane, GRA, where the Nigerian Army ejected the retired senior officer that the trespassers invaded,” he said.

Nwachukwu, therefore, said the petition was completely unfounded and intended to tarnish the ongoing efforts of the Nigerian Army to restore peace and tranquility in the South East.

He said the army was a disciplined institution that respects human rights and the rule of law, and urged the public to disregard the narrative that suggested that the army was acting unlawfully or without respect for due process.

According to him, the property remains under the ownership of the Nigerian Army until proven otherwise through appropriate legal channels, and any claims to the contrary are based on misinformation.

“Consequently the Army calls for a thorough investigation and due process to resolve the matter, and it stands ready to present its evidence of ownership to the competent authorities.

“We also wish to  reaffirm our commitment to the rule of law and the proper resolution of this dispute in accordance with Nigerian legal standards and provisions,” he said. (NAN)