“Col. Achigili Arrested in Daring Raid by Soldiers After Exposing Army ‘Godfatherism’!”
By Paul Ebi
Nigeria woke up Monday to a shocking scene as armed soldiers stormed the residence of Colonel Audu Ogli Achigili, a decorated frontline officer, dragging him into a waiting vehicle in full view of his terrified family.
The dramatic arrest comes barely 24 hours after the officer publicly accused top military officials of deliberately blocking his promotion to Brigadier General, despite what he described as “decades of unblemished service” across Nigeria’s toughest battlefields and multiple international missions.
In videos obtained by SaharaReporters, Col. Achigili is seen being manhandled by several soldiers as his distraught son cries out:
> “See how they are dragging my father!”
Another clip captures the boy protesting bitterly:
> “They want to kill my dad… After working for the Nigerian Army for many years, they are taking him away.”
The footage has sparked outrage, with many questioning why a senior officer would be arrested in such humiliating fashion.
THE EXPLOSIVE BACKSTORY: A PROMOTION WAR TURNED PERSONAL?
Just a day earlier, the colonel had gone public with a blistering account of alleged injustice within the military hierarchy.
He claimed that although the Army Council approved his promotion to Brigadier General in 2023, certain powerful figures intentionally blocked it — all because of a local land dispute back in his Oglewu community in Benue State.
According to him, the District Head, Dr. John Ochai, and retired Military Secretary Maj. Gen. Gabriel Ochigbano, allegedly used their influence to derail his career advancement.
> “I have served this country faithfully, yet they blocked my promotion because of village politics,” he said.
A RECORD OF FIRE, BATTLES AND SURVIVAL
Col. Achigili’s career spans some of Nigeria’s most challenging military operations:
Commander, NIBATT 38, United Nations Mission in Liberia (2017)
Commander, Sector 3 Garrison, Operation Hadin Kai, North East — for two years
Participant, Operation Harmony IV in Bakassi Peninsula
Served in African Union Mission in Darfur (2006–2007)
Helped restore order during the OPC crisis in Lagos (2001) under then–Governor Bola Tinubu
Survived the Ikeja Cantonment bomb blast
He insists these sacrifices earned him numerous commendations for “unblemished service.”
Yet, he claims, the Army has “repaid him with injustice.”
‘GODSONS AND GODFATHERS’: COLONEL BLASTS ROT IN THE PROMOTION SYSTEM
The senior officer also accused the Army of:
Promoting junior officers ahead of their seniors
Favoring “godsons” over battle-tested commanders
Rewarding officers who avoid conflict zones
Elevating education officers while military school standards “collapse”
Undermining the morale of the 41st Regular Course of the NDA
He cited the most recent Brigadier General–to–Major General promotions as “evidence,” claiming only 28 officers were elevated despite available vacancies.
> “If you check the profiles, many of them are not in the field. Some have never been near a battlefront,” he alleged.
ARREST AFTER SPEAKING OUT: COINCIDENCE OR CRACKDOWN?
The timing of the arrest — less than 24 hours after he publicly aired these allegations — has raised serious questions.
Was this a disciplinary action?A response to military dissent?Or the beginning of a deeper scandal within the Nigerian Army?
For now, the Army has not issued an official statement on why the officer was arrested or where he is being held.
But one thing is clear:The Col. Achigili saga has erupted into a full-blown storm — and Nigerians are watching.
