We know it’s the Defence minister we are talking about. Mansur Mohammed Dan-Ali – not so much of a talker him. Last time we remember him saying something to the country, it was to deny an allegation in December that he had directed Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin and Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas to retire.

At least he denied that which is exactly the least he could have done about this since the first time Maryam Sani brought her allegation in November 2016.

Maryam Sani has gone on her Twitter in November to claim that her daughter, Fatima,  was taken from her during the bloody clash between the army and Shiites in Zaria, Kaduna State.

According to her, Fatima, her only child, had been among a number of girls abducted by the Nigerian Army for no reason (at the time in November) for 11 months. She sent out the tweets mentioning the Nigerian Army headquarters.

Last week, she made the news again when she tweeted that her daughter was still in captivity.

It does not make any sense that this has not been addressed. This is a Nigerian citizen making a direct allegation at the military -sworn to protect her and the rest of us.

The Army headquarters can claim that they have had their hands full dancing around operations in a bid to secure the country. It will beg the question why they don’t just close down the Twitter account but we’ll still take the excuse.

When Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, was accused of purchasing and owning houses in Dubai, minister Dan-Ali was quick to his rescue denying the allegations. Same thing when he was accused of forcefully retiring two officers. This is what makes it so confusing.

We haven’t heard the military properly address Maryam Sani’s allegations neither have we had the Defence minister actually defend the military or the poor mother.

We’d like to hear that she has been called in to properly receive her complaint and either that her allegations are false or that the matter is being resolved one way or the other.

We know it is still Nigeria and allegations being thrown back and forth may not be surprising news. But this is important and we cannot have ministers who just don’t seem to care.

It just doesn’t is unacceptable. The Nigerian Army and the Defence Minister need to properly address this.

Roqeebah

Creative mind. Enthusiast. Learner. Multipotentialite. And here, an assistant editor.