The Nigerian Army has dismissed as falsehood, a report by some online media outlets claiming that troops were attacked and that several soldiers and civilians died in an attack that occurred at the secretariat of a local government in Imo State.
The Acting Deputy Director, 82 Division Nigerian Army Public Relations, Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, in a statement in Enugu on Thursday, said the reports had “no iota of truth,” describing it as a fiction of the imagination of sympathisers of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group.
“The attention of 82 Division Nigerian Army has been drawn to the falsehood being peddled by some online media outlets claiming that an attack on troops of the Division deployed at Ehime Mbano Local Government Secretariat led to the death of several soldiers and civilians.
“The publication is a fiction playing out in the minds of the terrorist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) criminal elements and their sympathisers that want to dampen the confidence of Imolites and by extension people of South-East region,” Unuakhalu said.
He recalled that on October 3, 2023, the Local Government Headquarters of Isiala Mbano LGA, built and maintained by public fund, was set ablaze and destroyed by same IPOB/ESN elements, saying there was no attack or causality on troop or civilians.
He noted that similar mindless attempt was made at the secretariat of Ehime Mbano council area of Imo State in the late hours of Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2024.
Unuakhalu however said the gallant effort of the troops prevented the criminals from gaining entrance into the council area secretariat.
“The criminal elements who came in their numbers shooting sporadically from a distance had to beat a hasty retreat due to the overwhelming fire power of the vigilant and gallant troops.
“During the exploitation carried out in the early hours of today, it was confirmed the dissidents suffered heavy casualties as seen from the blood stains on Ehime Mbano- Oriagwu Road,” he said.
Unuakhalu advised the general public to disregard misinformation by the online publications, assuring that troops would continue to protect citizens and critical government infrastructure in the state by dealing decisively with criminal elements who aim to subvert the government.
He noted that, “the anti-people cowardly behaviour” of the dissidents burning public buildings built by tax people’s money and where law abiding citizens eke out a living “is most unfortunate”.
The spokesman said, “Apparently, the IPOB elements are not for the people but for themselves.”
The statement enjoined residents of Imo State and the people of the South-East to continually provide security information that will allow security agencies to eliminate the criminal elements by calling the toll-free line: 193 and press Option 2.
“The good citizens of the South-East region are encouraged to go about their normal socio-economic activities without fear or intimidation from any group of persons,” the statement said.
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