The Senate Committee on Navy has asked the Chief of Naval Staff, to explain why naval ratings attached to Admiral Harry Arogundade assaulted a lady, Miss Uzoma Okere in Lagos on Monday afternoon .
The vicious assault took place on Muri Okunola Street in Lagos, after Uzoma allegedly failed to move aside quickly enough when Arogundade’s convoy approached her car from behind.
The attack was captured on video by an anonymous witness who subsequently posted the video onto international news channel CNN’s ireport website, a home for user generated news. The video was also posted to eNowNow.com yesterday.
Although initial reports from the Navy claimed that the ratings had responded in kind after being provoked and attacked by Uzoma, the video clearly shows her running away after being beaten by gun butts, only to be dragged back, stripped of her shirt and beaten again.
It has subsequently been revealed that Uzoma’s father is Seargant-At-Arms of the National Assembly, Colonel Emmanuel Okere (rtd.), and despite initial expectations of a military closing of ranks, he has strongly condemned the matter, presenting a petition to both the Senate committees on Navy and Defence and describing the attack as unlawful.
Speaking to journalists the director of Information of the Navy, Commodore David Nadbada, alongside the Director of Policy, Captain Henry Babalola both confirmed that the Navy had begun an investigation into the incident assuring that anyone found to be connected to it would be sanctioned.
They said that they were aware of the need for sensitivity when dealing with the public and that they couldn’t be seen to be building bridges with the general public whilst condoning acts that went against that belief.
Meanwhile prominent Nigerians and NGOs have condemned the incident, calling for investigations and sanctions against Arogundade and the naval ratings in question.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka said “I want to add my voice to the uproar that has been generated by that admiral in the brutalisation of those woman. If that admiral is not prosecuted, civil organisations will institute actions against him.�
“This abominable kind of conduct has to to stop. This animal conduct on the part fo our uniformed services must end.�
It has been announced that Pastor Nike Adeyemi of RWF and Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin of WA would be addressing a joint press conference to discuss the issue at the weekend.
