The Nigerian military has denied allegations of mass killings in southeastern Nigeria, according to Simon Ekpa, leader of a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
This was contained in a statement by the army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, on Wednesday in Abuja.
Slander campaign against the army.
Mr Nwachukwu, a Major General, said Mr Ekpa has been carrying out a systematic and mischievous smear campaign against the army.
He said Ekpa, through spurious and baseless claims, had raised the alarm in a viral video alleging that troops of the Nigerian Army were carrying out mass killings of innocent Igbos and throwing them into the river.
According to him, the report also contains unimaginable and poorly formulated falsehoods aimed at stoking negative sentiments against the troops and inciting anarchy in the Southeast region.
“Contrary to the falsehood spread by the devious propaganda machine of the leader of desperate and selfish terrorists, the military wishes to declare that it has carried out a thorough investigation into the allegations made by the devious and infamous leader and his associates.
“Therefore, we want to categorically refute these unfounded claims by shedding more light on what happened.
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“In the first instance, the troops appearing in the video are not Nigerian Army personnel, as the insignia visible on their berets clearly identifies them as Nigerian Navy personnel, who were participating in a routine test firing of a security system. weapons mounted on a vehicle.
“To ensure the safety of other road users and commuters, the troops took precautionary measures by stopping the movement of vehicles along the road, until the test shooting was safely concluded.
“Observers were also kept at a safe distance, maintaining transparency and prioritizing the safety of everyone involved,” he explained.
Nwachukwu said preliminary findings also indicated that the event took place in the south-west region of the country and not the south-east as deliberately portrayed by alarmist propagandists.
He added that there was no evidence to support the claim that people were being shot at in the river, nor had there been any reports from local communities of bodies being found in the area.
“Accordingly, the military wishes to urge the public to ignore the baseless claims and irredeemable falsehoods propagated by Simon Ekpa and his associates, the ostensible aim of which is to spread misinformation and incite unrest,” he added.
Vigilant Army, Prepared
Nwachukwu said the military and indeed sister services and other security agencies remained steadfast in their commitment to maintaining peace and order, ensuring the safety of all citizens of the country.
According to him, the Nigerian Army is alert and prepared to counter any attempt to destabilize the South East region.
“We reaffirm our dedication to protecting the lives and livelihoods of all Nigerians and will continue to work tirelessly to uphold peace and order.
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“We encourage the public to seek verified information and not be misled by those who seek to incite violence and disorder.
“We salute the courage and patriotism of the well-meaning and law-abiding Ndigbo people domiciled in the South East and across the country.
“Despite the brazen atrocities and threats perpetrated by Ekpa and his terrorist group, these patriotic Igbo have continued to build bridges of peace and harmony across the country and promote our national ideal of a united Nigeria.
“The Nigerian military remains a pillar of stability and security, committed to the well-being of the nation and its people,” he said.
(YAYA)