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The Nigerian Army has broken its silence on the alleged killings in the South-East, dismissing the reports as a fabrication and reaffirming its commitment to upholding human rights and maintaining peace in the region.
Allegations of widespread bloodshed in the South-East originated from Simon Ekpa, a controversial figure claiming to lead the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) separatist movement.
The Army’s Public Relations Director, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, has forcefully pushed back against the allegations, stating that an exhaustive investigation has yielded no concrete evidence to support the claims, despite their rapid spread online.
Read also: PDP Shrinks In South East As Ihedioha, Others Abandon Party
Major General Onyema Nwachukwu provided context to the misleading video, explaining that the personnel featured are actually Navy troops participating in a routine weapons system test, far removed from any combat scenario.
Ekpa had raised an alarm in a viral video, alleging that troops of the Nigerian Army are carrying out mass killing of innocent Igbos and dumping them in a river.
General Nwachukwu also clarified that the incident took place in the South-West zone, not the South East, and that there was no evidence of individuals being shot at or killed in the river.
Last Thursday, the Army said non-state actors in IPOB’s armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), gruesomely murdered five soldiers in Abia State.
The non-state actors were said to be enforcing a sit-at-home order across the South-East when they killed the soldiers.
Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the leader of Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo, and Nnamdi Kanu, the detained IPOB leader, have both issued strong denials of any involvement in the alleged killings, seeking to distance themselves from the escalating violence.
The military has drawn a red line, vowing to strike back with full force in response to the alleged transgression.
