Ex-Officer Kunle Olawunmi Honours DIA Invitation

An ex-Naval officer, Navy Commodore Kunle Olawunmi, was invited by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), following an interview he had on a Channels Television programme, ‘Sunrise Daily’ last Wednesday. Olawunmi honoured the invitation in the company of his lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), on Tuesday.

The decision to interview the ex-Naval officer prompted widespread controversy. When an online media outlet raised the alarm that he had been declared wanted. Which led to the DIA issuing a disclaimer to clear the air on the issue, clarifying that the retired officer was only being invited to shed more light on the issues he raised.

In the interview, the ex-Naval officer, who is the Head of the Department of Criminology and Security Studies at Chrisland University, alleged that some insurgents arrested years ago mentioned the names of some government officials as their supporters.

Among other things, ex-Naval officer Olawumni had said:

“Recently, 400 people were gathered as sponsors of Boko Haram, why is it that the Buhari government has refused to try them? Why can’t this government bring them to trial? if not that they are partisan, and part of the charade that is going on?

“You remember this Boko Haram issue started in 2012 and I was in the military intelligence at that time. We arrested those people. My organisation actually conducted interrogation and they (suspects) mentioned names.

I can’t come on air and start mentioning names of people that are presently in government. I know that the boys that we arrested mentioned some of them are governors now, some of them are in the senate; some of them are in Aso Rock.”

Following the report that he had been declared wanted and due to the public outcry that followed. The DIA through the DHQ spokesman, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Sawyerr, issued a statement to clear the air:

“There is nothing like that. There is no time that the DIA ordered the arrest of the naval officer. He went on Channels Television and said a lot of things. So, someone in intelligence called him and asked him to come on Tuesday and share his information.”

“The military does not issue warrant of arrest. Only a court can order an arrest. The former officer spent a lot of time at the interview. If they wanted to arrest him, they would have done so. No one invites someone just to arrest them,” Sawyerr said.

Confirming the visit of the officer to the DIA’s office in Abuja, Falana revealed that it was just a friendly chat between a retired officer and his erstwhile colleagues. Falana added that he represented the retired military officer during the chat, in strict compliance with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

“I confirm that it was a friendly chat between commodore Kunle Olawunmi and his colleagues. The chat lasted for some minutes, I was allowed to represent the retired military officer during the friendly chat. In strict compliance with the provisions of the administration of criminal justice act.”