Channels interview: Retired naval commodore appears at Defence Intelligence Agency

Kunle Olawunmi, a retired commodore with the Nigerian Navy, has appeared at the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), following an invitation by an officer of the agency. 

Olawunmi had been in the news after his comments on Boko Haram insurgency during a recent interview with Channels Television.

Speaking when he featured on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, Olawunmi had alleged that some government officials were involved in sponsoring insurgency.

The retired naval officer, who is currently the head of the department of criminology and security studies at Chrisland University, had also alleged that some insurgents arrested years ago mentioned the names of some government officials as their supporters.

“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,” he had said.

The retired commodore also spoke on the recent attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna.

After the interview, there were unconfirmed reports that the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) was making moves to arrest him, but the agency denied declaring Olawunmi wanted.

The DHQ had insisted that the retired naval officer was invited by a military officer to visit the DIA to share his expertise with the agency, adding that it wasn’t a formal invitation.

Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who went with Olawunmi to the DIA on Tuesday, told TheCable that the meeting was a friendly one. 

“I confirm that it was a friendly chat between commodore Kunle Olawunmi and his colleagues,” he said.

“The chat ended a few minutes ago. 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.”