Abia Govt Not Owing Soldiers In Operation Crush-Otti

The Abia State government has dismissed a social media report that claimed that it owes Nigerian soldiers attached to its multi-agency security task force, Operation Crush.

Governor Alex Otti in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Kazie Uko, said he did not owe any security agency involved in the operation.

He described the said report as the antics of his detractors to discredit his administration.

The statement reads, “My attention has been drawn to a misleading report on social media, alleging that the Abia State Government is owing soldiers attached to the multi-agency security task force, codenamed Operation Crush.

“The general public is advised to disregard this falsehood as the state government is up-to-date in meeting its obligations to the anti-crime task force, which has been instrumental in dealing with incidents of violent crimes and dislodging the kidnapping ring around the Umunneochi-Uturu-Okigwe axis, especially on the Enugu-Umuahia-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway.

“It is worthy of note that the Government of Abia State, under the able and dynamic leadership of the Governor, Dr Alex Otti, OFR, has continued to pay workers salaries, pensions and all outstanding verified benefits accruing to Abia workers and retirees, since the assumption of office by Dr Otti.”

Continuing the governor’s spokesman said, “Only two days ago, the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), the umbrella association of judicial workers in Abia State, wrote to thank Governor Otti for living up to his promise to pay the arrears of their Consolidated Judiciary Staff Salary Structure (CONJUSS), which had remained outstanding since 2015.

“The workers, through their union leader and Chairman, Oracle Chinedu Eze, expressed their gratitude to Governor Otti and the government of Abia State for fulfilling the promise of salary payments.

“Abians are not lost in the fact that the falsehood being peddled on social media is the handwork of the enemies of the State, who have lost their hold on political power in the state and have now chosen to see nothing good in Governor Otti, their Achilles heel.”

Meanwhile the Nigeria Army command in Abia State has denied the alleged media reports describing it as fake, malicious and untrue.

The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 14 Brigade Ohafia, Lt. Innocent Omale, in a statement on Friday dismissed the report as ” malicious and mischievous”, and urged members of the public to discountenance it.