Lance Corporal Festus Igenkhai, popularly known as Ex-Man on TikTok, told President Bola Tinubu to hold service chiefs accountable for failing to tackle insecurity shortly before military sources claimed the Nigerian Army was investigating him on Tuesday.
Zagazola Makama, a Nigerian security analyst, posted an article about Igenkhai and declared him wanted on microblogging site X.
“Investigations by our correspondent have uncovered disturbing details surrounding one Lance Corporal Festus Igenkhai, a now-disgraced soldier of the Nigerian Army, who has gone rogue after abandoning his post and responsibilities to chase clout on social media,” Makama’s article reads.
“Enlisted barely four years ago, Igenkhai has since been declared Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) by the Nigerian Army after he deserted his duty post on November 8, 2024, in clear violation of military regulations. Our checks confirm that he is currently under investigation for gross misconduct, breach of military discipline, and desertion offences considered serious within the Armed Forces.
“Before his cowardly disappearance, the soldier had twice faced internal military trials over violations of the military’s strict social media policy, including releasing unapproved content online. Rather than learn his lesson, Igenkhai became even more brazen, adopting the handle ‘EX Man’ on TikTok, where he now spews reckless and defamatory content aimed at discrediting senior officers including the service chiefs and sowing disaffection within the ranks.
“In a string of delusional videos, he peddles unsubstantiated claims and half-baked conspiracy theories, portraying himself as a whistleblower while in reality behaving like a disgruntled dropout who could not live up to the standards of the uniform he once wore. Multiple security sources confirm that none of his allegations have been backed by evidence – just empty noise aimed at misleading unsuspecting viewers and stirring unnecessary tension.
“Let’s be clear: this is not a patriot. This is a fugitive a man who betrayed his oath, abandoned his comrades, and now hides behind a smartphone camera to hurl insults at the same institution that once gave him pride, purpose, and uniform.
“As things stand, it was exclusively gathered that nationwide manhunt has been launched for Lance Corporal Festus Igenkhai. The security forces are working around the clock to locate and bring him to justice for violating the sacred principles of discipline and loyalty that bind the Nigerian Armed Forces.”
Igenkhai published his first TikTok post on December 21. He had 53 posts, 17,300 followers and 124,200 likes on TikTok at press time. His posts are mostly about fallen soldiers and the military’s leadership.
Interestingly, Igenkhai, had released a lengthy video titled: “Letter to Mr President” on TikTok a few hours earlier, commenting largely on how the country’s military leadership had not been taking Nigeria’s war against terrorism and insecurity seriously.
“Dear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Federal Republic of Nigeria. Please, I write this letter to you, with my mouth today,” Igenkhai said in the post.
“I want you to call all your service chiefs to order, and other high ranking military officers to order concerning the security of this country(sic). Dem don too see peace, dem don too tey for air condition. Now, if you see my video, or any of your aides see my video, make una show President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“You should call those generals to order; the military officers. Call them to order. I am not talking about the navy. The navy don’t have anything with the warfront. I am talking about the Army and the Air Force. All those commanding officers, call them to order. Please and please, his excellency, abeg, I want make you dey give them tasks on these insecurity issues.
“Give every of them tasks for each state. Anything that happens in the state, Mr President, please I want make dem make sure say the insecurity wey dey happen for each state, give them tasks. Any person wey no fit accomplish that task, retire am.
“Be you a Major General or a Lieutenant General, a General, dem give you task, for each state, and that task still remain one month and una no fit flush out the bad eggs for that state, retire the person. Put the next person!
“Sir, if you can be able to listen to my letter, and acknowledge my letter, and execute what I wrote with my mouth on this letter, sir, I will be very grateful. Because it has come to my notice that those generals are not ready to work; they are not ready to… Nothing concern them concern this country.
“The insecurity of this country is not affecting them because terrorists are not attacking their families, their wives and children. That is why they don’t feel so concerned.
“They will come to national television, ITV, NTA, to come and make a speech. They are always making fake speeches because that talk wey dem come dey talk, dem don already write am down tey tey. Once camera don dey their front dem go begin dey talk that thing.
“Na rehearsal dem dey use this country dey do o, Mr President. Give each and every one, there are many of them in Abuja, call them, dem dey inside office for Abuja, dem no dey do any work, there are many generals and major generals, lieutenant colonels, majors, dem full Abuja; dem no dey do any work.
“Dem no even know wetin dey happen for this country. Many of them buy visas and travel out of the country. A service general dey go for other countries go spend three months, e no dey for office. Even when e dey office im no get anything wey e dey do.
“No office for dem. Dem go just come office come receive air condition, enter their motor go. Please Mr President, I want make you give those people task. Dem don too see peace. Na dem dey plan the downfall of this country. Na dem dey plan the downfall and the rise of insecurity in this country.
“They are too many. If ants don too many for somewhere, problem dey dey. Officers too many for inside army. Dem no see where dem dey chop, so therefore, dem dey plan mutiny against this country. That is why the insecurity of this country still remains the same.
“Give them tasks and locations for each state. If dem hear any insecurity issue for those states, retire them, so that others go learn lesson. Mr President, follow my advice against those generals. Call those generals to order. They are not ready to work. Na film show dem dey take this country do.
“All those things wey dem dey come tell you; wey CDS and COAS dey come dey tell you, Mr President, na lie o!
“Dem no dey do anything. If dem don come to your office come tell you finish, dem don go. E no concern dem o. Make terrorists come divide this country into two, e no concern dem. If e too worse for dem, dem fit go break their leg or dem go write medication, just to go for medical check up.
“Many of dem dey go for medical check-up for abroad go treat themselves, while they (the high-ranking officers) can not give good medication, treatment, to the soldiers of the Nigerian Army. So, therefore, sir, call them to order. When you call them to order, the insecurity of this country, go solve [sic].”
