Olukolade said specifically that the organisation, campaigning for the release of the over 200 girls abducted by the members of the Boko Haram sect in April 2014, has picked him and others as targets for such destructive intentions.
The defence spokesman’s comments were contained in a letter he wrote to the Coordinator of the #BBOG and former Minister of Education, Mrs. Orby Ezekwesili, which was released as an attachment to a PR Nigeria Electronic mail on Sunday.
The letter, which was released without a date, was copied Mrs. Hadiza Bala Usman, Mrs. Bukky Sonibare and the President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.
The Defence spokesman also alleged that some “charlatans”, who are among the #BBOG campaigners, were out to tarnish the image of the military because of envy.
He said a prominent member of the group had been involved in a hate campaign against him and the military and was indeed using the platform of the campaign to pursue his plans.
He said, “Indeed, I am also conscious of the enormous power you wield. The belief is that your organisation has the determination to ruin the name, career, and reputation of some targeted military officers among whom I have been specifically marked for such cruel treatment.
“I can only leave such matter to God and the good judgment of the people who read or hear you. I am so sure I will enjoy the blessing of being vindicated at last.”
Olukolade also faulted the group’s accusation that the military had not followed best practices in the operation, and the tendency to compare the Nigerian Army with other armies, as unfair as unfair.
He stressed that it was not possible for two military operations to be conducted the same way as the operations must reflect field realities.
He added that the claim by members of the #BBOG that the military operation in the North-East lacked transparency was either not being made in good faith or they are not well informed.
The Defence spokesman said the military had ensured nobody was restrained from accessing the operational area except those involved in “undue interference with safety and operational environment”.
He submitted that the claim of the BBOG campaigners that military was engaged in deception was untrue and meant to discredit the security forces.
Olukolade debunk the assertion of the group that the military had credibility issues, describing it as the opinion of those behind a hate campaign against the Armed Forces and not the prevailing opinion of Nigerians.
-Punch
