The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has condemned the behaviour of troops, captured in a trending video, who allegedly maltreated some suspected armed bandits and kidnappers arrested along the Abuja Kaduna highway, describing it as unprofessional.
In the video sighted by Igbere TV on Thursday, one of the suspects was seen tied to a stake and in an attempt to extract information from him.
According to a statement issues to Igbere TV on Thursday by the Acting Director, Defence information, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, the troops had acted in overzealousness in a desperate attempt to extract information from the suspected bandits.
“The attention of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has been drawn to video footage trending in the social media, visually displaying the maltreatment of some suspected armed bandits and kidnappers who were arrested along Road Abuja Kaduna during a recent operation.
“Apparently the troops had in their overzealousness tied one of the suspects to a stake in a desperate attempt to extract information from him.”
The statement also explained that the act is in violation of the military code of conduct and the Chief of Defence Staff has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.
“The DHQ wishes to unambiguously state that the acts exhibited by the troops in the video footage is very unprofessional and an outright violation of the code of conduct handed down to guide the conduct and behaviour of troops of the AFN during operations.
“The DHQ therefore, in very strong terms condemn this act of ineptitude and exhibition of lawlessness. The DHQ considers the conduct of the troops highly regrettable.
“In order to promptly address the anomaly, the Chief of Defence Staff has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident to bring to book all those found culpable in accordance with the military justice system,” the statement read.
