The Nigerian Army has described a trending video purporting that Boko Haram terrorists captured and killed several troops of Operation Lafiya Dole in the North East, as false and the handiwork of members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB. It said the video is aimed at discrediting the Army and sowing seeds of discord among troops of South East extraction in the Nigerian Army.
This is contained in a statement signed by Col Sagir Musa, Acting Director, Army Public Relations titled, “Video Clip Portraying The Alleged Capture and Killing of Some Nigerian Soldiers By Boko Haram Terrorists on 10 December 2019 is False”. It read: “The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a viral, unsubstantiated and apparently fabricated video clip circulating on the social media portraying the stage-managed/so-called capture and killing of some Nigerian soldiers by Boko Haram terrorists on the 10th of December 2019.
“The Nigerian Army wishes to emphatically state that there was no incident that involved the “capture and killing of tens and tens of Nigerian soldiers on the 10th of December 2019” as mischievously and wickedly portrayed in the video. “Similarly, preliminary observation of the video clip (even by the amateur) will reveal that the video was doctored and that the entire events captured in the footage was not an occurrence that took place at any point in time within the shores of Nigeria.
”To this end, the Nigerian Army is hereby calling on the members of the general public and indeed personnel of the Nigerian Army especially those in the North East theatre of operation to disregard the sinister, very inciting and divisive video concocted and peddled by the outlawed IPOB members whose main objective is the disunity and fragmentation of Nigeria as clearly shown or espoused in the video.
“Accordingly, the call by one Simon Ekpa, (the principal actor in the clip), calling on soldiers of South East extraction presently serving in the North East to desert the Army and return to Biafra as well as calling on South Easterners not to join the Nigerian Army is an obvious indication of the essence and objective of the masterminds of this fake video which should be discountenanced by the public.
“Meanwhile the leadership of the Nigerian Army wish to also reiterate its unflinching commitment to sustain the war against terrorism and shall not be deterred by the evil machinations or propagandist activities of mischievous persons whose main interest is the disunity of our beloved nation.” We have no hand in the video where insurgents slaughtered you – IPOB.
But responding to the allegation by the military, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, denied the claim that it doctored and circulated recent video where member of the Boko Haram killed several Nigerian soldiers, describing the claim as laughable. IPOB said it was a shame for the Army to involve the group in their futile attempt impotence and failed effort to fight Boko Haram.
Reacting to the allegation, IPOB’s media and publicity secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful berated the Army, saying they belittled themselves by involving IPOB in the issue of doctoring a video. Powerful said that IPOB have more important things to do than engaging in doctoring a video where soldiers were killed. “This recent statement from the thoroughly disgraceful, undignified institution called Nigerian military accusing IPOB of being behind the recent trending video where Boko Haram members torturing and humiliating Nigerian army personnel is laughable. “This unguarded, shameful and thoroughly unsubstantiated accusation is very typical of an army that specializes in attacking civilian populations in the south but cringe at the sight of a well-armed opposition in the north.
“It is quite pathetic how the Nigeria army would belittle themselves so shamelessly in the eyes of the world by involving IPOB in their futile attempt to deflect attention from their impotence and failed effort to fight a terrorism menace they themselves created in Nigeria. The Nigerian Army must understand that Biafra is not Nigeria. “IPOB have more important things to do than engaging in doctoring a video that is so clear for all to see. Maybe Nigerian the Army think the world is as undiscerning as their typical Nigerian. Rather than coming out in public to make a complete fool of themselves; Buratai and his Nigerian Army should invite forensic experts to corroborate their claim if they are confident they are speaking the truth.
“The video of Boko Haram torturing and humiliating the cowardly Nigerian Army that specializes in committing crimes against unarmed populations in Biafra is real and verifiable. IPOB has nothing to do with the trending video and cannot involve itself with this brotherly spat between Boko Haram and Nigeria Army because they have the same Fulanisation agenda for Nigeria. “Nigeria Army and Boko Haram are both terrorist organisations pursuing the same goal with the only difference being that Nigerian army specialise exclusively, in attacking civilians in the east.
“This shameful statement from Nigeria Army proves that the Nigeria Army and her sisters security outfits in Nigeria have lost control of their phony war against Boko Haram and as usual are looking to blame IPOB for their pitiful plight. “Northern elders (allegedly) formed and sponsored Boko Haram to perfect their plans to islamize and Fulanize Nigeria and to make Jonathan’s government ungovernable which they succeeded in doing. We must not forget that Major-General Muhammadu Buhari was named the chief negotiator by Boko Haram for the failed talks in Saudi Arabia in 2014.
“Nigeria soldiers should leave IPOB alone and focus on fighting the monster they created. “We pity Nigeria Army and gullible Nigerians who cannot see the inevitable violent collapse of Nigeria. What is happening today in Nigeria is the worst form of organized state-sponsored hypocrisy. Recruiting Boko Haram members and other terror groups into the Nigerian Army, Police, DSS and other security formations in Nigeria is a recipe for disaster which IPOB is rightly sensitizing the world about. “Nigeria is imploding gradually and no amount of lies against IPOB will avert the impending doom of the failed British contraption”, Powerful said.
Published by:
Chibuike John Nebeokike
For: Radio Biafra Media
