Former Senate Minority Leader and senator representing Abia South Senatorial District, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has dismissed reports of his purported humiliation by soldiers at an Army checkpoint in Obingwa as blatant falsehoods.
In a statement on Sunday, Abaribe’s media aide, Uchenna Awom, urged the public to disregard the misleading reports.
Instead, Abaribe praised the officers and men of the Nigerian Army for their professionalism in engaging with the civilian populace.
InfoStride News recalls that tension has been building across the state amid fears of a possible reprisal military operation after hoodlums killed five soldiers in Aba on Thursday.
“It is laughable and false, the report that soldiers humbled and delayed him at a checkpoint while returning from a burial in Obingwa last Thursday,” Abaribe stated.
The former Deputy Governor explained that the soldiers at the checkpoint were courteous and professional in carrying out their duties. He warned the media against sensational reporting in a desperate bid to attract traffic.
“I was never accosted, delayed, or approached in a disrespectful manner by the soldiers. My observation at the point was that of a professional force carrying out their duty in a most humane and respectful manner, despite the ugly events of the day,” he said.
Abaribe questioned the motives behind the speculative report, which claimed he called the state governor to intervene and noted the governor’s alleged negative reaction.
He dismissed these claims as a tissue of lies.
“I salute the soldiers and reiterate my earlier statement condemning what happened last Thursday. That report is false and authored to achieve a devious political goal,” Abaribe concluded.
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