Texas Chukwu, former spokesman of
the Nigerian army, has described his removal as the image maker of the army as
routine.
Chukwu said this while responding
to report on his removal.
Military sources had revealed
that he was replaced as a result of his inability to manage information on the
counter-insurgency campaign.
“Chukwu was not attune with media
management and did not sustain the efforts already in place. His inefficiency
did not only affect the army’s efforts but made the military a subject of
embarrassment in the eyes of the world,” a source had said.
After the report was filed,
Chukwu called a reporter who had initially contacted him for his reaction to
what the source said.
He had expressed dissatisfaction
with the story, saying he thought it would be dropped after he spoke.
In a statement purportedly issued
by the directorate of army public relations on Friday, the story was referred
to as misleading.
The statement was not signed by
Sani Usman, the current army spokesman, or shared on the Twitter page of the
army.
Chukwu also said he would
be proceeding to the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies
(NIPSS) Kuru, Jos for a strategic course.
Shortly after the unsigned
statement was released, insiders revealed that Chukwu was behind it and that he
had told some of his associates to circulate it on social media.
The former army spokesman tweeted
the entire content of the statement via @TexasChukwu, an account which was
active while he was in charge of the information unit of the army.
Below is the statement:
The attention of the Directorate
of Army Public Relations has been drawn to a news report trending in the online
media published by the Cable titled “ARMY REPORTEDLY REMOVES TEXAS CHUKWU AS
SPOKESMAN, RE-APPOINTS USMAN”. In the said story, the report stated inter alia,
that “Army reportedly removes Texas Chukwu as spokesman, reappoints Usman”.
The Directorate wishes to state
categorically that the report is not only malicious but an attempt by the
writer to tarnish the reputation of the senior officer which he has built over
the years in the course of his career as well as misleading members of the
public.
The write-up further alleged that
his removal followed outcry from different quarters on his “inability” to
manage information on counter-insurgency campaign, which is completely untrue
and unsubstantiated.
Contrary to the report, the
Directorate wishes to state that, the re-appointment of Brigadier General Sani
Usman is a routine deployment in the Nigerian Army following his completion of
the Strategic course at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies
and not based on media management as alleged by the report.
It is also pertinent to state
that Brigadier General Texas Chukwu will be proceeding to the National
Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies Kuru, Jos for his Strategic course.
Consequently, the Directorate
wishes to state that the writer has only succeeded in exhibiting his ignorance
or complete lack of knowledge about postings and appointments in the Nigerian
Army.
The Directorate therefore calls
on the authority of The Cable to advice the reporter to cultivate the habit of
verifying facts as well as balancing his report before rushing to the press.
The medium is requested to tender an unreserved apology to the senior officer
as well as the Directorate of Army Public Relations through the same medium
within 24 hours or be ready to face legal action.
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