THE Special Assistant to the Minister of Defence on Media and Publicity, Mohammad Abdulkadri, has said the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen Bashir Magashi (retd) is not the man in trending video with an AK-47 rifle.
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In the viral video a man said to be the minister was with the gun while entering his official vehicle.
But in a statement on Sunday by Special Assistant to the Minister of Defence on Media and Publicity, Mohammad Abdulkadri, said the person in the video was the Rector of the Nigerian Army College of Environmental Science and Technology in Makurdi, adding that he was entitled to sign for weapons when travelling.
Abdulkadri in the statement titled, ‘Re: Internet Video trending on Minister of Defence carrying AK47,’ said the minister “has a formidable orderly that could defend him in case of an attack.
It partly reads, “In fact, findings have revealed the undeniable identity of the person in the video as the Rector of the Nigerian Army College of Environmental Science and Technology Makurdi, (name withheld) who by virtue of his Command position is statutorily allowed in the Military to sign for weapons when travelling.
“The Army green colour on the Innonson Jeep and the Unit sticker of NACEST on the official vehicle are enough evidence to neutralise the spurious claim in the clip.
“Again,the fake picture of the Orderly that wears blue colour of the insignia band of NA Education Corp whereas the Orderly to General Magashi (name withheld) is of the Corp of the Military Police who uses red beret and MP red headband on his Camouflage.
“This video was undoubtedly put on the Internet to portray the minister in bad light as feeling unsafe at a time when he is successfully occupying the driver’s seat in implementing the vision of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari to end all internal security challenges bedevilling the country.
“Let it be categorically stated that the Minister of Defence has a line of defence that cannot be penetrated that are capable of dealing with any threat and does not need to carry a gun as seen in the video.”
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