The Nigerian Army on Sunday denied alleged killing of 30 soldiers by Boko Haram at Zari village in Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno on Friday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that an international wire service had reported that troops deployed in Zari in Guzamala Local Government Area were killed when Boko Haram lunched a deadly attack on the village on Thursday evening.
According to the report, scores of jihadists in trucks stormed the base at Zari village, in northern Borno State late Thursday and briefly seized it after a fierce battle in which 30 soldiers were killed.
But Brig.-Gen. Texas Chukwu, Director, Army Public Relations, who denied the report in a phone interview with NAN on Sunday.
He said that the alleged killing was the “figment of the imagination of the news agency”.
Chukwu said contrary to the claim, the insurgents did not attack any military formation but rather came to loot foodstuffs and extort money from the locals.
He said that the insurgents were repelled by the land troops of 82 Task Force deployed in Operation Lafiya Dole, who were closely supported by the Air Task Force.
“During the fire-fight, overwhelming volume of fire was unleashed on the insurgents from both the air and ground troops, neutralising several of them and their weapons.
“The Boko Haram took some of their corpses and fled while others escaped with bullet injuries, adding that normalcy and sanity was restored in the affected communities.
It is very unfortunate how people will just sit in the comfort of their zones and fabricate stories that don’t exist, most especially the international media.
“Such false narratives, we have always believe are deliberate attempts to promote Boko Haram and their activities against the sovereignty of the country.
“That media organisation was said to have gotten their information from a security personnel and went ahead to file their report without making further inquiries.
“This is unethical and unprofessional to say the least,” Chukwu added.
He said Nigerians should disregard all the propaganda stories credited to Boko Haram terrorists as troops were doing their best to ensure that terrorists were expelled from the region.
(NAN)
Same way they denied the last attack but later conducted a mass burial for the dead soldiers. Don't know why they always deny.
ReplyDeleteGod protect our soldiers
Oh you saw that too. Don't mind them my dear. Playing politics with peoples life.
DeleteThey are not playing politics with people's lives. The essence of the denial if it really happened is to avoid putting tension and panic in the lives of citizens. The cause of death of most soldiers killed in action are mostly not stated for security reasons. That is the way it's done in the world all over.
DeleteDo you know they are peoples father, uncle and brothers? Even if they don't want to disclose the numbers, they should at least admit there are casualties than denying it outrightly.
DeleteThe same way they lied about the over hundred missing solders that we later saw burial conducted for some. One sad thing about Nigeria is that death of people are always denied by the authority just to cover up their inefficiency.
ReplyDeleteThe same army authority that lied none of their colleagues took to the street of Maiduguri to protest poor management and ill treatment even when we saw the video, came up last week to say those involved will be punished. But why the lies at first? If only Nigerians know the numbers of military men being killed on daily bases in the far north, then you will know this government is as clueless and incompetent to govern. They are contemplating staging Python dance 3 to the East that is peaceful, isn't that stupidity and abuse of a system? A place that is insurgent bound that need the whole tankers and jet fighter will be overlooked but a peaceful area will be deploy with sophisticated weapons as if there is war. Shame unto them all.
I'm sorry but it's not a “figment of anyone's imagination". It is sad that our Govt is more worried about protecting it's "integrity" than the waste of lives.
ReplyDeleteFor those of us in Maiduguri, we know better. It's a pity!
Another witness of the gospel truth.
DeleteThis presents military men and their boss COAS is the worst
ReplyDeleteI guess the military men we have in the country now are not well trained or armed because I don't understand how the Nigerian army keeps losing its soldiers to these insurgents.
ReplyDeleteBuhari needs to fire the army Chief,overhaul the security service men and equip these guys properly.
Infact I pity anyone married to an army officer in the Northeast right now, they are impending widows with the way this govt is handling these insurgents.
LEP😛