THE Nigerian Army has urged South-East residents to disregard the lies and propaganda being peddled by the proscribed Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) and other miscreants in the zone against its activities.

Col. Sagir Musa, the acting Director Public Relations of the Nigerian Army, gave the advice in a statement issued to newsmen in Enugu on Wednesday.

Musa said that the army would not ordinarily join words with an illegal organization but just to set the record straight against the kind of divisive, selfish and wicked propaganda and misinformation mischievously being perpetrated by the proscribed IPOB.

“Contrary to the dubious and bunkum claims made in the latest news release made available to the press on Tuesday, Feb. 12 by the so called Secretary for the proscribed IPOB, alleging the killing of two young men in Owerri and the imaginary abduction of Biafrans in Aba, Abia state by the Nigerian Army.

“I wish to state that there was nobody that was manhandled, shot, wounded, abducted or killed by a soldier or soldiers of the Nigeria Army in Abia and Imo states or in any other state of the South-East geopolitical zone.

“As a professional and responsible organisation, the Nigeria Army under the leadership of Lt.- Gen. Tukur Buratai, has variously and sufficiently (both in deeds and actions) made it clear that it will not encourage or condone any form of professional misconduct especially human rights abuses,’’ he said.

According to him, the Nigeria Army ably represented by the 82 Division in the South-East will continue to protect the lives and properties of all Nigerians in the zone.

“The Division is also determined to ensure peaceful and secured conduct of free, fair and credible 2019 general elections,’’ he said.

Musa said that for awareness and further clarification, civilians are not detained in conventional army detention centres except under exceptional situations such as on charges of terrorism, insurgency or any form of armed insurrection among others.

“So, anyone arrested by the Nigerian Army during the ongoing Exercise Egwu Eke III, also known as Python Dance 3, has been handed over to the civil police for further necessary action,’’ he said. (NAN)

– Feb. 13, 2019 @ 13:21 GMT |