Allegations against Naval chief to be investigated – Matawale
Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has stated that the corruption charges against the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, will be examined.
Henshaw Ogubike, Director of Information, Press, and Public Relations at the Defence Ministry, quoted Matawalle as saying, “Though these allegations may be false, the Ministry of Defence is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability within the Nigerian Armed Forces.”
“The allegations leveled against Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla are serious.” Matawale said.
According to reports, Ogalla was said to have accepted over $170 million in bribes and was involved in multi-billion naira contract splitting fraud in the last six months.
In response, Matawalle stated that an investigation was necessary to determine the truth, adding that, “accusations of this nature can have far-reaching consequences on the reputation of individuals and institutions, and thus, it is crucial to avoid premature judgments.
“We remain committed to the principles of due process and fairness, ensuring that findings will be based on concrete evidence and legal standards.
“It is our collective responsibility to maintain the trust and confidence of the Nigerian people in the institutions that safeguard our nation’s security.
“We call for patience as the investigative process unfolds and trust that justice will be served in accordance with the rule of law.”
However, the Navy has stated that the claims are unfounded, irrational, false, and supported by dissatisfied parties and oil thieves.
The Navy spokeswoman, A.O. Ayo-Vaughan, stated that the accusations were made by dissatisfied parties and oil thieves and were untenable, unjustified, and inaccurate.
Ayo-Vaughan stated that the Navy was aware of some dissatisfied individuals coordinating frantic efforts to blackmail the CNS’s office and person in response to the Navy’s enhanced vigour in combating crude oil theft and maritime illegalities.
