The Nigerian Army has denied the report in a section of the online media of an attack on troops and killing of several soldiers and civilians in a Local Government Area of Imo.
The Acting Deputy Director, 82 Division Army Public Relations Officer, Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, made the rebuttal in a statement issued in Enugu and made available to newsmen on Thursday.
Unuakhalu stated that the online media reports had “no iota of truth but a fiction of the imagination of sympathisers of dissident group.”
Statement read in part: “The attention of 82 Division Nigerian Army has been drawn to the falsehood being peddled by some online media, claiming that an attack on troops of the division deployed in Ehime Mbano Local Government (LG) 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 Imo people and by extension the people of South-East.”
Unuakhalu recalled that on Oct. 3, 2023, the headquarters of Isiala Mbano LGA, built and maintained with public funds, was set ablaze and destroyed by the same IPOB/ESN criminal elements but there was no attack or casualty from troops or civilians.
He stated that similar mindless attempt was made at the Secretariat of Ehime Mbano LGA of Imo in the late hours of Wednesday, October 8.
He noted that the gallant efforts of the troops prevented the criminals from gaining entrance into the council 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 that the dissidents suffered heavy casualties as seen from the blood stains on Ehime Mbano- Oriagwu Road,” he stated.
Unuakhalu advised the public to disregard the “misinformation” by the online publications, adding that troops would continue to protect citizens and critical government infrastructure in the state by dealing decisively with criminals, who aim to subvert the government.
He further noted that “the anti-people cowardly behaviour” of the dissidents, burning public buildings built with tax payers’ money and where law abiding citizens eke out a living, “is most unfortunate”.
He also stated: “Apparently, the IPOB elements are not for the people but for themselves.
“The Headquarters of 82 Division enjoins all Imo people and the residents of the South-East to continue to provide security information that will enable security agencies to eliminate the criminal elements.”
He urged the people to always contact the division with useful information on the following 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,” Unuakhalu added. (NAN)
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