Infantry officer, T.J Abdallah, who called service chiefs “Nollywood actors”, as he criticized their handling of the war on terror in a private WhatsApp group, has lost two children, in a mysterious car accident as the family travelled to visit him in detention in Maiduguri, Borno State, after he became incommunicado for several weeks, Premium Times reports.
The Abdallah family driver also died in the crash while the officer’s wife suffered serious injury and now battling for her life, sources familiar with the incident told the newspaper.
Mr Abdallah, a lieutenant Colonel and commanding officer (CO) of 151 battalion stationed at Banki Junction, Borno had criticised the military hierarchy for its poor management of the war against terror in the Nigerian north east region in remarks he made in a WhatsApp group operated by the 49 regular cadet class of the National Defence Academy (NDA).
According to he report, an army investigation into the activities of the WhatsApp group indicted Mr. Abdallah, describing his comments as “seditious and derogatory” against the nation’s political and military leadership, slamming him as a fifth columnist in the Nigerian Army.
He was recommended to be relieved of his command, subjected to vetting, and put out of future consideration for “any command or sensitive appointment,” sources in the army said.
Mr. Abdallah’s was arrested in November 2016 and tossed into detention and his family did not know his whereabouts, several sources familiar with the case told premium Times.
Disturbed that she had not heard from her husband for weeks, Mr. Abdallah’s wife travelled to Maiduguri from Jaji, Kaduna State on two occasions to make enquiries about his whereabouts but on both occasions got no clarity from army authorities one source said.
The woman was left fighting for her life with a fractured neck and two broken legs, those familiar with the matter said.
The bereaved detained infantry officer was released two days after the tragedy.
Army spokesperson, Brig-General Sani Usman has refused to comment on the matter, the newspaper said.
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