By Mary Ekundayo|
The Nigerian Army disclosed on Wednesday that two soldiers accused of stealing armored cables at the Dangote refinery are currently in custody.
The soldiers, who arrived in an Acura jeep on Sunday, were apprehended at the company’s main gate with 897 armored cables that had been cut to size.
In a statement, Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Director of Army Public Relations, condemned the incident as “totally unacceptable and highly regrettable.”
He confirmed that the two soldiers were being held in custody and stated, “The Nigerian Army is deeply concerned about the alleged involvement of two of its personnel in a reported case of theft at the Dangote Refinery in Lagos.”
Nwachukwu revealed that the soldiers were hired by a contractor identified as Smart, who claimed he needed to retrieve some cables left behind at the facility.
However, upon arrival, Smart sensed trouble and fled the scene, leaving the soldiers behind.
The Army spokesperson emphasized that further investigations were ongoing to determine the extent of the soldiers’ involvement in the matter and reassured the public that appropriate disciplinary measures would be taken.
He added, “The Nigerian Army remains steadfast in ensuring that the key values of discipline and integrity are adequately entrenched amongst its personnel.”
